Pokémon: Wild Card anime film set for worldwide release in 2027

The Pokémon franchise is heading back to the big screen with a new animated feature titled Pokémon: Wild Card, which is scheduled for a worldwide release in 2027.

The upcoming film was announced during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco.

Along with the announcement, the organisers revealed an initial teaser and promotional visual. The film will follow a Pokémon Trading Card Game player and his Pokémon partner, Mimikyu.

The teaser offers a first glimpse of the central character. The player is shown wearing a yellow hoodie inspired by Mimikyu’s familiar appearance.

Mimikyu is a Ghost/Fairy-type Pokémon that was introduced in the Pokémon Sun and Moon games. The character is known for hiding its real appearance beneath a rag designed to resemble Pikachu.

The mysterious Pokémon has become one of the more recognisable characters in the franchise. Its unusual design and hidden identity are expected to play an important role in the new film.

Japanese animation studio CloverWorks will handle production of Pokémon: Wild Card.

Katsuhiko Kitada has been named as the film’s director, while Akemi Hayashi will serve as character designer.

Both creatives have worked on several well-known anime productions. Kitada has contributed to projects including The First Slam Dunk, Attack on Titan and Naruto: Shippuden.

Hayashi is known for her work on anime titles such as Banana Fish and Lazarus.

The new movie will mark the return of the Pokémon franchise to feature-length anime filmmaking after a gap of several years.

The previous Pokémon feature film was Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, released in 2020. The movie initially received a theatrical release in Japan before becoming available internationally on Netflix in 2021.

The last Pokémon film to receive a worldwide theatrical rollout was Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us, which was released in 2018. Outside Japan, the film had a limited theatrical run through Fathom Events.

The announcement of Pokémon: Wild Card comes during a landmark year for the franchise, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The franchise is also preparing for another major expansion. A new Pokémon generation, titled Winds and Waves, is scheduled for 2027 and is expected to introduce the next group of Pokémon titles.

Despite the announcement, several details about Wild Card remain under wraps.

The filmmakers have not yet revealed the film’s exact release date. The full plot, supporting characters and wider cast have also not been announced.