Pokémon Announces Wild Card, an Animated Film About the TCG

Pokémon has announced a new feature-length animated film called Pokémon: Wild Card, and the premise should grab anyone reading this site: it follows a Pokémon TCG player and his partner Mimikyu. The announcement went up on Pokemon.com alongside an official teaser trailer on YouTube, with the film described as “coming soon.”

What we know so far

Details are thin at this stage, but here’s everything confirmed:

• The film is titled Pokémon: Wild Card and is feature-length
• It’s being made in partnership with Japanese animation studio CloverWorks
• Pokémon describes it as the first feature-length animated Pokémon movie in years
• The story centers on a Pokémon TCG player and his partner Mimikyu
• No release date yet, just “coming soon”

The official description frames the story around the player and Mimikyu working toward their goals, asking whether they’ll “have what it takes” when the time comes to put their cards on the table. That’s all we get for plot right now. The teaser is the first reveal, and Pokémon says more updates are on the way.

A movie about the card game itself

This is the part that stands out to me. Pokémon movies have historically been about the video game world: legendary Pokémon, trainers, big set-piece battles. A film built around a TCG player is a different thing entirely, and it puts the card game front and center as the subject rather than the merchandise tie-in.

The timing makes sense too. The TCG is in the middle of its biggest year in a long while, with the 30th Celebration set landing worldwide on September 16 and anniversary products rolling out through December. A theatrical-scale film about the hobby fits right into that push.

CloverWorks is a strong choice for the animation. The studio has a reputation for polished, expressive work, and the teaser’s Mimikyu, glowing against a nighttime city backdrop, already has a distinct look compared to past Pokémon films.

Why Mimikyu is the right pick

Mimikyu carrying a movie is a smart move. It’s one of the most beloved Pokémon of the last decade, its whole character is built on wanting to be loved, and pairing it with a card player rather than a traditional trainer gives the story an underdog angle from the start.

For collectors, there’s an obvious knock-on effect worth watching. Movie tie-ins have a long history of driving interest in the featured Pokémon, from promo cards to renewed demand for existing prints. Mimikyu already has a solid run of TCG appearances, and a film like this tends to bring new eyes to them. I’m not making price calls, but if you’ve been thinking about Mimikyu cards for your collection, a major film announcement is the kind of thing that changes the picture.

What to watch for next

No release window, no cast, no full trailer yet. The teaser is the entire reveal so far, so the next beats to look out for are a proper trailer, a release date, and, if history is any guide, tie-in TCG promos. We’ll cover those as they land.

In the meantime, if the announcement has you eyeing the star of the show, you can browse Mimikyu singles and other Pokémon TCG cards and get ahead of the movie hype.