The Pokémon Company has announced «Pokémon: Wild Card,» a feature-length anime film slated for a 2027 release. Revealed during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco, the project marks the franchise’s first cinematic venture in six years.
President and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara introduced a short teaser trailer to the audience, outlining a narrative that centres on a competitive Pokémon Trading Card Game player striving to become a champion.
Instead of the traditional focus on video game mechanics or past protagonists, the upcoming movie spotlights the tabletop community. The protagonist will share the screen with Mimikyu, a Ghost and Fairy-type species famous for disguising itself as Pikachu.
The 39-second promotional spot highlights a shimmering card alongside a mysterious character, hinting at a storyline deeply rooted in TCG culture. The announcement immediately generated online enthusiasm, with fans praising the updated visual direction, fluid animation and fresh character designs on social media platforms.
Animation studio and creative team
Studio CloverWorks is producing the animation. The Japanese studio, widely recognised for its work on «My Dress-Up Darling» and «Bocchi the Rock!,» brings a distinct artistic flair to the beloved monster-catching universe. Katsuhiko Kitada is serving as the director, while Akemi Hayashi, known for her contributions to «Banana Fish,» has been tapped as the character designer.
Ishihara highlighted that the production team is already hard at work. The collaboration with CloverWorks signals a notable shift in visual style compared to previous entries produced primarily by OLM. This change aligns with the recent trend of the company partnering with various animation houses for limited series, music videos and online shorts, though «Pokémon: Wild Card» represents a return to full-length features.
Ending the cinematic hiatus
When it premieres, the movie will end the longest gap between theatrical releases in the brand’s 30-year history. The most recent entry, «Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle,» debuted in Japanese cinemas in December 2020 before its international rollout on Netflix the following year.
By pivoting the narrative toward the trading card game, the creators aim to capture the competitive spirit of trainers worldwide. The storyline directly mirrors the atmosphere of the World Championships where it was unveiled, blurring the lines between the fictional universe and its real-world fanbase.
The teaser concluded with a vague promise that the film will arrive in 2027 «and beyond».
