Pokémon: Wild Card Brings the Trading Card Game to Theaters in 2027

The Pokémon Company announced Pokémon: Wild Card, a new animated film that puts the Trading Card Game at the center of the story. The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco, accompanied by a first teaser that introduced the lead duo.

The film will follow an aspiring Pokémon TCG player and their partner Mimikyu, with a story aimed at capturing the competitive spirit shared by trainers around the world, according to Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokémon Company. Plot details remain under wraps for now.

CloverWorks is handling the animation, with Story Inc. as the production company. Katsuhiko Kitada directs the project, and Akemi Hayashi, whose credits include Banana Fish, is in charge of character designs.

The release is slated to begin in 2027, with no single worldwide date announced and no detailed distribution plans by territory. The franchise's previous original film, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, premiered in Japan in 2020 and arrived on Netflix internationally in October 2021.

Originally published on Anitsu by Marcos López. Text reviewed and fact-checked for DonOtaku on November 5, 2026; the original date is preserved.