‘Pokémon: Wild Card’ Movie Sets 2027 Release Date, Drops Anime Teaser Starring Trading Card Game Player

It’s time to catch ’em all because Pokémon is heading back to the big screen.

The popular trading card and video game franchise is returning to theaters with “Pokémon: Wild Card,” a new movie releasing worldwide in 2027. The film was announced during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, held in San Francisco. A short teaser also gave a brief look at the upcoming movie, which stars a trading card game player and a ghostly Pokémon named Mimikyu.

The mysterious teaser reveals the trading card game player, who’s dressed in a yellow hoodie like Mimikyu. The ghost and fairy type Pokémon was introduced in “Sun” and “Moon,” the seventh generation games in the “Pokémon” franchise. It crudely disguises itself as a Pikachu, the mascot of the “Pokémon” series, but its true form is hidden below the yellow rag that it wears.

Katsuhiko Kitada, who previously worked on anime films and shows like “The First Slam Dunk,” “Attack on Titan,” “Naruto: Shippuden” and more, will direct “Pokémon: Wild Card.” Character design is being handled by Akemi Hayashi, who has worked on “Banana Fish,” “Lazarus” and other anime. CloverWorks, the Japanese animation studio behind titles like “Spy X Family,” “Bocchi the Rock” and others, will produce the film.

“Wild Card” is the first “Pokémon” movie made since 2020’s “Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle,” which was released theatrically in Japan and worldwide on Netflix in 2021. The last “Pokémon” film to hit theaters worldwide was 2018’s “Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us,” which received a limited release by Fathom Events outside of Japan.

Next year will also see the release of “Winds” and “Waves,” the 10th generation of “Pokémon” titles. The franchise celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026.

Watch the teaser below.