The Pokémon franchise is preparing for its theatrical return with an upcoming film titled “Pokémon: Wild Card,” scheduled to debut worldwide in 2027. The announcement came during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco, marking a significant milestone for the beloved gaming and trading card series.
A teaser trailer accompanying the announcement offers viewers a glimpse into the film’s storyline, which centers on a trading card game player and the ghost-fairy type Pokémon Mimikyu. The character in the teaser wears a yellow hoodie mirroring the Pokémon’s crude disguise as Pikachu, the franchise’s iconic mascot. Mimikyu, first introduced in the seventh generation games, is known for concealing its true form beneath a tattered yellow cloth.
The production brings together experienced creators from the anime industry. Director Katsuhiko Kitada has previously helmed projects including “The First Slam Dunk” and “Attack on Titan,” while character designer Akemi Hayashi contributed to series like “Banana Fish.” CloverWorks, the studio responsible for “Spy X Family” and “Bocchi the Rock,” will handle animation duties for the film.
“Wild Card” represents the franchise’s first theatrical release since 2020’s “Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle.” The new film arrives as the Pokémon series celebrates its 30th anniversary and prepares for the launch of its tenth-generation games, “Winds” and “Waves,” next year.
Originally reported by Variety →
About the Author
