Pokémon: Wild Card Begins Worldwide Release in 2027 With Mikiya and Mimikyu as Its Leads

The Pokémon Company has announced Pokémon: Wild Card (ポケモン：ワイルドカード), an all-new feature-length animated film scheduled to begin its worldwide rollout in 2027. It marks Pokémon's return to feature-length theatrical animation roughly seven years after Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle released in 2020.

This time, the Pokémon Trading Card Game itself sits at the heart of the story. The film follows an aspiring card player named Mikiya as he pursues becoming a champion, with Mimikyu positioned alongside him as another central protagonist.

Quick Summary

• Title: Pokémon: Wild Card
• Japanese title: ポケモン：ワイルドカード
• Format: feature-length animated movie
• Franchise: Pokémon
• Main theme: Pokémon Trading Card Game
• Status: currently in production
• Announcement date: August 31, 2026 in Japan
• Release window: beginning in 2027
• Release scope: worldwide
• Specific release date: unannounced
• Initial reveal: Pokémon World Championships 2026
• Event location: San Francisco, United States
• Reveal stage: Pokémon World Championships 2026 closing ceremony
• Previous Pokémon feature film: Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle
• Gap from the previous movie: approximately seven years if released in 2027
• Major distinction: first Pokémon film centered on the Pokémon Trading Card Game
• Human protagonist: Mikiya
• Mikiya's role: Pokémon TCG player
• Mikiya's objective: become a champion
• Pokémon protagonist: Mimikyu
• Mimikyu category: the Disguise Pokémon
• Mikiya's design: yellow hood visually reminiscent of Mimikyu
• First footage: special teaser
• Teaser length: approximately 30–35 seconds
• Promotional artwork: Super Teaser Visual
• Visual setting: neon-lit nighttime city
• Key teaser scene: Mikiya playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game
• Mimikyu appearance: shown around a bridge and the nighttime city
• Director: Katsuhiko Kitada
• Character Designer: Akemi Hayashi
• Animation Production: CloverWorks
• Planning / Production: STORY inc.
• TCG context: Pokémon Card Game reaches its 30th anniversary in October 2026
• Official movie X: @pokemoncard_mov
• Cast: unannounced
• Mikiya voice actor: unannounced
• Mimikyu voice actor: unannounced
• Runtime: unannounced
• Music / composer: unannounced
• Theme song: unannounced
• Full synopsis: unannounced
• Country-by-country schedule: unannounced
• Specific theatrical distributors: not yet detailed

Special Teaser and Super Teaser Visual

Pokémon Returns to Feature Films After Roughly Seven Years

Pokémon: Wild Card is the franchise's first new feature-length animated movie since Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, which opened in Japan in 2020. A 2027 launch would create a gap of roughly seven years between the two films.

The new project also changes the perspective rather than simply returning to the structure of earlier theatrical entries. The Pokémon Trading Card Game is being incorporated directly into the film's world and narrative.

Mikiya Pursues the Championship Alongside Mimikyu

The initial announcement described the human lead as a Pokémon TCG player repeatedly taking on challenges in pursuit of becoming a champion. Subsequent promotional material identified him by name as Mikiya.

His visual design immediately connects him with Mimikyu. Mikiya wears a bright yellow hood reminiscent of the Pokémon, while the Super Teaser Visual places Mimikyu behind him as he sits playing the card game.

The Special Teaser Brings Pokémon TCG Into a Neon City

The first footage establishes a nighttime city full of neon lighting as the film's initial visual identity. Mimikyu appears on a bridge railing, while Mikiya is shown with cards and a Pokémon Trading Card Game play area.

Rather than centering its first reveal on a conventional Pokémon battle, the teaser focuses on cards, players and the atmosphere surrounding competition, making the TCG component immediately clear.

CloverWorks Leads Animation Production

CloverWorks is handling animation production for the movie, bringing a new production line into the Pokémon theatrical franchise.

Katsuhiko Kitada, who previously worked on direction for THE FIRST SLAM DUNK, serves as director. Akemi Hayashi, known for character design on BANANA FISH, is the character designer, while STORY inc. is responsible for planning and production.

Revealed at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships

The film made its world debut during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. Revealing a movie centered on competitive card play at Pokémon's premier competitive event closely matches the project's premise.

The Pokémon Company President and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara explained that the story will depict the passion shared by players around the world, reinforcing that competitive Pokémon TCG culture is intended to be more than a promotional backdrop.

Why This Matters

1) Pokémon TCG finally becomes the centerpiece of a movie

For the first time, a Pokémon feature film is being built directly around the experience of playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

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2) The movie introduces a new protagonist setup

Mikiya takes the human lead instead of returning to the protagonist structure of earlier Pokémon movies, while Mimikyu receives unusually prominent billing.

3) It ends a roughly seven-year feature-film gap

Pokémon has not released a new feature-length animated movie since 2020, making Wild Card the start of a new theatrical chapter.

4) Its production team points toward a distinct visual approach

Katsuhiko Kitada, Akemi Hayashi, CloverWorks and STORY inc. are already presenting the project through a neon-night setting and a card-focused visual identity.

Movie Information

For now, the additional important information currently known includes:

• Pokémon: Wild Card is in production for a worldwide rollout beginning in 2027
• no specific theatrical release date has been announced
• country and regional release schedules have not yet been detailed
• it is the first new feature-length Pokémon animated film since Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle in 2020
• the Pokémon Trading Card Game serves as the central subject of a Pokémon film for the first time
• the human protagonist is named Mikiya
• Mikiya is a Pokémon TCG player pursuing the goal of becoming a champion
• Mimikyu is also positioned as a principal protagonist
• Mikiya wears a yellow hood deliberately reminiscent of Mimikyu
• the special teaser debuted during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships
• the footage was subsequently released through Pokémon's official YouTube presence
• a Super Teaser Visual was unveiled alongside the first promotional material
• the artwork shows Mikiya playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game with Mimikyu positioned behind him
• the first promotional setting uses a neon-lit nighttime city
• Katsuhiko Kitada is directing the film
• Akemi Hayashi is handling character design
• CloverWorks is responsible for animation production
• STORY inc. is handling planning and production
• Pokémon Card Game reaches its 30th anniversary in October 2026
• the movie's cast has not been announced
• voice actors for Mikiya and Mimikyu remain unannounced
• the runtime has not been announced
• composer and broader music details remain unannounced
• the theme song remains unannounced
• the complete synopsis and additional characters have not yet been detailed
• official film information is available through the Pokémon: Wild Card Official Website
• film updates are published through Pokémon: Wild Card Official X
• the initial announcement is available through the Official Pokémon Information X Post
• the special teaser is available through Pokémon Official YouTube
• official Pokémon TCG information is available through the Pokémon Card Game Trainers Website

Closing

Pokémon: Wild Card takes the theatrical franchise in a distinctly different direction by placing Pokémon Trading Card Game competition, Mikiya and Mimikyu at the center of its concept. The first special teaser already demonstrates how CloverWorks is translating the card-playing world into animation through a striking nighttime-city atmosphere.

The worldwide rollout is planned to begin in 2027, but the exact release date, cast, runtime, music, theme song, wider story and regional distribution details remain unannounced. Those details now make up the biggest pieces still awaiting future reveals.