Pokémon: Wild Card Announced For 2027
The Pokémon Company has announced Pokémon: Wild Card, a new animated feature film scheduled for release in 2027. Revealed at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, the movie centers on the Pokémon Trading Card Game and features a protagonist partnered with Mimikyu. Animated by CloverWorks, this project marks the franchise's first new theatrical release in seven years, alongside other upcoming animated media.
During the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, The Pokémon Company officially announced its upcoming animated feature film, Pokémon: Wild Card. Scheduled to begin its release rollout in 2027, the movie represents a major milestone for the franchise as its first theatrical film project in seven years. Tsunekazu Ishihara, the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Pokémon Company, introduced the project by highlighting its connection to the competitive community, noting that the film's main character is a Pokémon Trading Card Game competitor who strives to achieve championship status, mirroring the real-world players participating in the tournament.
A brief teaser trailer lasting 39 seconds was showcased during the championship event to give fans their first glimpse of the film. The promotional footage heavily emphasized the Pokémon Trading Card Game as a central narrative element, showcasing the protagonist sitting at a card table with a Mimikyu card actively in play. Alongside the teaser, official promotional artwork was unveiled, depicting the main character alongside his partner Pokémon, Mimikyu, who appears to play a prominent role in the upcoming story.
The production of Pokémon: Wild Card involves a collaboration of several notable industry names and studios. The animation is being handled by CloverWorks, the studio recognized for its work on popular anime series such as Bocchi the Rock! and My Dress-Up Darling. Katsuhiko Kitada has been appointed as the film's director, while Story inc. is managing the production. Additionally, the character designs for the animated feature are being crafted by Akemi Hayashi.
The promotional materials for the film hint at a broader scope than a single movie release. The teaser trailer featured the phrasing "starting in 2027" and "beyond," suggesting that the launch of Pokémon: Wild Card could be the beginning of a larger initiative or a multi-part project. While further details regarding the exact nature of this extended release schedule have not been disclosed, the wording has sparked speculation about potential sequels, spin-offs, or tie-in media.
In addition to the announcement of Pokémon: Wild Card, the Pokémon franchise has other animated content lined up for the same year. During a panel at the PokemonXP event, updates were shared regarding Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d and Pichu. Originally announced in 2025, this separate animated series was confirmed to stream on DisneyXD, ensuring that fans will have multiple animated projects to watch when both the series and the new movie debut in 2027.
The reveal of Pokémon: Wild Card served as a major highlight of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships and the accompanying PokemonXP event. The announcement of a feature film dedicated to the trading card game community marks a unique direction for the franchise's cinematic history, focusing directly on the tabletop gaming experience that has been a cornerstone of the brand for decades.
Source: IGN — original reporting
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