The Pokémon TCG Gets Its Own Movie Adaptation in Pokémon: Wild Card

The Pokémon Company has officially unveiled Pokémon: Wild Card, an all-new animated feature film that takes its primary inspiration from the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Teased during the annual esports event Pokémon Worlds, the project marks the franchise's first feature-length animated movie since the release of Pokémon: Secrets of the Jungle in 2020. It also represents the first major animated movie for the series since Ash Ketchum’s departure from the animated show in 2023.

According to initial details, Pokémon: Wild Card is set to follow a new protagonist—an aspiring trading card game player with glowing yellow eyes—alongside the Pokémon Mimikyu. The debut teaser trailer showcases an unnamed individual handling physical cards, including a Mimikyu card, while the species itself can also be spotted looking at the moon and masquerading as Pikachu. The film is currently in production with Story inc. and CloverWorks, with Katsuhiko Kitada directing. Kitada's previous credits include episodes of Attack on Titan, Naruto: Shippuden, and Makoto Shinkai's The Place Promised in Our Early Years.

Plot specifics remain closely guarded, though official loglines state the film will follow a TCG player and Mimikyu as they face challenges to achieve their goals. Visual hints in the teaser—such as the player's eyes matching the lightning bolt design in the movie's logo, which mirrors Mimikyu's jagged smile—have already sparked speculation among fans regarding the exact nature of the protagonist. Whether the project will stand as a single film or expand further remains to be seen, with promotional materials noting a release window of "2027 and beyond."

The announcement arrives during Pokémon's 30th anniversary year, which has featured numerous celebrations across titles like Pokémon Go and Pokémon Masters, alongside transmedia projects such as Netflix's Pokémon Concierge. Additionally, Aardman is developing Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu for Disney+. The arrival of Wild Card also coincides with continued interest in the card game landscape, following the rapid success of the mobile iteration Pokémon Pocket and the reveal of its new Dual-Type Pokémon cards.