Pokémon Announces First Movie in 7 Years Centered on Trading

The Pokémon franchise is returning to theaters with its first new movie in seven years, and it will break significant new ground by centering on the trading card game rather than the anime series. Pokémon: Wild Card was unveiled during Pokémon XP and is scheduled to arrive in 2027 and beyond.

The film will be animated by CloverWorks, the studio behind Spy x Family and The Elusive Samurai, with direction from Katsuhiko Kitada, who helmed Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. Character designs come from Akemi Hayashi, known for her work on Banana Fish. A brief teaser shown at the convention features a young protagonist described as a Pokémon TCG player alongside Mimikyu, with scenes depicting an active card game in progress.

This represents a major shift for the Pokémon movie franchise. Wild Card will be the 25th film in the series, counting the 2019 live-action Detective Pikachu, and the first theatrical release since 2020's Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle. Most significantly, it marks the first animated Pokémon film to exclude Ash, the longtime protagonist of the anime series, which concluded in 2023. Until now, every Pokémon movie has functioned as a spin-off tied to the anime continuity.

The trading card game's presence in the Pokémon universe has been ambiguous at best. While the TCG has never been officially established as existing within the anime world, scattered references and Easter eggs have appeared over the years. In a 2000 anime episode titled "Bad to the Bone," Pokémon TCG cards briefly appeared among Team Rocket member Jessie's belongings, though this scene was edited out of the English broadcast. The villain in Pokémon the Movie 2000 possessed an Ancient Mew card, which was also distributed to moviegoers. However, no character has ever been shown actually playing the card game within the anime itself, leaving open the possibility that Wild Card exists in a separate continuity.

The movie's focus on the TCG aligns with broader industry trends. Anime films have become increasingly attractive to major franchises following the commercial success of properties like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. While Pokémon pioneered anime movies, those films relied heavily on the anime's popularity, which has waned in recent years. The trading card game, by contrast, continues to grow in both popularity and profitability, making it a logical foundation for a new theatrical story.

Details about the protagonist and plot remain limited. The teaser shows the main character playing a Psychic-type deck featuring a Mimikyu card, suggesting a connection between the player and the Pokémon beyond simple partnership. Whether Mimikyu itself participates in gameplay or serves another role in the narrative remains unclear. The 2027 release window may shift to 2028 depending on production schedules and international distribution timelines.