It’s been six years since the last time Pokémon graced us with an animated movie. But that’s changing in a big way thanks to the newly announced flick, Wild Card.
During Sunday night’s Pokémon World Championship, attendees were treated to a preview. The teaser below briefly shows a Mimikyu—a ghost-type that looks like a raggedy Pikachu, but whose true form is actually under its rags—then a young card game player wearing a hoodie designed after that same pocket monster. According to the synopsis, the two are partners, and they’ve set out to be…well, you know, but for cards instead of actual monster fighting. That’s a notable switch up for the anime films, which have always focused on Ash, Pikachu, and whoever his companions are for the current generation.
Behind the scenes, Wild Card is being directed by Katsuhiko Kitada (The First Slam Dunk), with character designs from Banana Fish’s Akemi Hayashi. Cloverworks, the studio famous for Spy x Family and the upcoming Neon Genesis Evangelion anime, will produce the film.
Expect Pokémon: Wild Card to come out in 2027. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, since next year will also see the release of Pokémon Winds and Waves, the first Gen 10 games of the franchise, and the release of Disney+’s Aardman-made claymation series Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d and Pichu.
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