After years of the franchise staying small on TV, Pokémon is finally coming back to theaters. During the closing ceremonies of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco, The Pokémon Company unveiled Pokémon: Wild Card, a brand-new feature-length animated movie bound for 2027.
The first animated Pokémon movie in years
Wild Card marks a big return for the franchise. The last feature-length animated Pokémon movie was Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, which hit Japan in 2020 and streamed on Netflix in 2021. That makes this the first new animated Pokémon feature announced in several years, and it lands in the middle of the franchise’s 30th anniversary year.
The announcement came in front of a packed Chase Center crowd, capping a weekend that brought together players across the Pokémon TCG, VGC, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE.
What Wild Card is about
Instead of the usual battle-driven plot, Wild Card is built around the trading card game. The story follows a Pokémon TCG player and his partner Mimikyu as they put their cards on the table and chase their goals. The teaser opens on cards laid out across a table, framing the act of playing Pokémon cards as part of the adventure itself.
The film is being produced in partnership with Japanese animation studio CloverWorks, though The Pokémon Company has kept further story and cast details close to the chest for now.
Wild Card at a glance
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Title | Pokémon: Wild Card |
| Format | Feature-length animated film |
| Animation partner | CloverWorks |
| Story | A Pokémon TCG player and his partner Mimikyu |
| Release window | 2027 |
| Last animated feature | Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (2020) |
Why Filipino fans should care
Pokémon remains one of the biggest names in the Philippines, from the trading cards to Pokémon GO to competitive play. The announcement landed just as Pokémon Worlds heads to Singapore in 2027, the first Worlds ever in Southeast Asia, giving the region more reasons to track the franchise. It also builds on a strong showing by Filipino squad Nemesis at Worlds 2026.
Expect more details, a longer trailer, and a PH release plan as 2027 gets closer.
