While there have been 23 Pokemon anime films released dating back to Pokemon: The First Movie in 1998, the last one to hit the big screens was Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle in 2020.
Since then, the franchise has stuck to home television with the latest release being Pokemon Horizons: The Series. The newest series finally debuted in the United States earlier this month and is currently available to stream on Netflix.
While the series has been met with a warm reception on Netflix, the cast has their sights set on returning to the silver screen. As reported by Comicbook.com, Anime Japan 2024's Blue State hosted a panel for Pokemon Horizons: The Series during which the voice actors admitted that they would "love" to do a Pokemon Horizons movie.
Now obviously this doesn't mean that it will happen — only that the cast is eager to do something bigger with the series. And the potential is certainly there.
Pokemon Horizons is a major departure from the Pokemon series that many of us grew up with. Unlike previous series in the franchise, which featured Ash Ketchum as the main protagonist alongside Pikachu, Pokemon Horizons introduces two new main protagonists: Liko and Roy. The two join up with the Rising Volt Trackers, a group of adventurers that explore the world, but are relentlessly pursued by a mysterious group known as the Explorers. Alongside Liko and Roy are two new partner Pokemon: Sprigatito and Fuecoco.
The synopsis reads:
Arriving at Indigo Academy, a girl named Liko receives her first partner Pokémon, Sprigatito. But she soon finds herself pursued by the Explorers, a mysterious group that’s determined to take the pendant necklace she wears. Liko isn’t on her own, though, as Friede, Captain Pikachu, and the other Rising Volt Tacklers offer her protection aboard their airship. Meanwhile, a boy named Roy dreams of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, unaware of the secret hiding within the Ancient Poké Ball he carries. As Liko, Roy, and the Rising Volt Tacklers set sail for new horizons, what kind of discoveries await?
Pokemon fans bid adieu to Ash Ketchum and Pikachu in the final season of Pokemon Journeys. The series ended with its 48th episode airing in the United States in March of 2021. The series can also be streamed on Netflix.
Would you be excited to watch a Pokemon Horizons movie? Let us know in the comments below!