First Pokémon anime movie since 2020 announced, brings new characters and staff to the series [Video]

Pokémon: Wildcard previews deals out mysteries for a Mimikyu-centric return to theaters for the first time in over half a decade .

For over two decades, a new Pokémon anime movie in the summer in Japan was as sure a thing as cherry blossoms in the spring.

In 1998, the original Pokémon movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back , started a string of 21 annual summertime Pokémon movies that stretched all the way to its remake, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution , in 2019.

As further proof of the releases’ consistency, not only did they all premiere in Japanese theaters in July, all of the movies came out within 12 calendar dates of each other, opening between July 7 and 19.

Even in 2020, a new Pokémon anime made its way to theaters, with Pokémon the Movie: Coco , retitled Secrets of the Jungle for its overseas release, sliding into Japanese theaters in December of that year.

Then, after getting a Pokémon anime movie every year between 1998 and 2020, the well suddenly dried up, and there hasn’t been one since.

Now, though, comes the happy news that Pokémon is finally coming back to theaters! Announced to coincide with the closing of this year’s Pokémon World Championships is San Francisco, Pokémon: Wildcard is an all-new Pokémon anime movie, and it looks to be the first one that won’t focus on protagonist Satoshi/Ash.

Nor does it appear to star one of the human characters from the Pokémon Journeys arcs of the TV anime which were meant as a direct passing of the torch from Ash to a new aspiring Pokémon Master, nor from the Pokémon Horizons arc which followed with its own cast of characters.

There is one familiar face in the teaser video for Pokémon: Wildcard , though, or at least a familiar face-like covering, as Mimikyu looks to be playing a big role this time around, and a posting by the movie’s official Twitter account includes the phrase “Mimic You.” ／ 約7年ぶりに劇場にポケモンが帰ってくる！ ＼ 完全新作長編アニメーション映画 「ポケモン：ワイルドカード」が2027年に公開決定 詳しくはこちら https://t.co/HPA6yTq5he #ポケモンワイルドカード #ポケカ映画 pic.twitter.com/YH3o6khCLi — 映画「ポケモン：ワイルドカード」公式 (@pokemoncard_mov) August 31, 2026 Looking for other clues as to theme or tone, though the video features the stirringly heroic sounds of Pokémon main theme music, the color and character designs are dark and brooding.

Speaking of the one and only human we see in the video, he’s actually playing with Pokémon cards .

The Pokémon trading card game isn’t usually shown as being something that exists within the setting of Pokémon anime, but the presence of Mimikyu also implies that Pokémon: Wildcard isn’t going to be a story where Pokémon only exist within the imaginations of fans of the game, either.

Another mystery to mull over: Pokémon: Wildcard isn’t using the standard Pokémon franchise logo .