Honestly, if you grew up in the late 90s or early 2000s, a new Pokémon movie was more than just a cartoon. It was an event. You’d beg your parents to take you to the theater just so you could get that exclusive ancient Mew card or a special Celebi for your Game Boy. But things have changed. A lot.
If you look at a pokemon all movies list today, you’ll notice a massive gap that didn't exist for over two decades. From 1998 all the way to 2020, we got a movie every single year. Like clockwork. Then, suddenly, the rhythm broke. The world changed, the animation style shifted, and the "yearly tradition" basically vanished.
Whether you’re trying to catch up on what you missed or you’re a parent trying to figure out why your kid is obsessed with a genetically engineered cat-thing named Mewtwo, here is the real breakdown of every film, the weird continuity shifts, and why the release schedule looks so different now.
The Classic Era: When Ash Ruled the Big Screen
The first few movies were massive. I’m talking cultural phenomenon status. Mewtwo Strikes Back wasn't just a movie; it was a rite of passage for Gen 1 fans. It dealt with existentialism, cloning, and the tears of a Pikachu. Heavy stuff for a seven-year-old.
Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998/1999)
The one that started it all. Mewtwo builds an island, invites trainers, and tries to replace the world with clones. It still holds the record for the highest-grossing Pokémon film in the US.Pokémon The Movie 2000 - The Power of One (1999/2000)
This one gave us Lugia and the legendary birds. It’s peak "Ash is the Chosen One" energy.Pokémon 3: The Movie - Spell of the Unown (2000/2001)
A girl uses interdimensional symbols to kidnap Ash’s mom and create a fake Entei dad. It’s actually one of the more emotional and visually unique entries in the entire series.✨ Don't miss: Bob Hearts Abishola Season 4 Explained: The Move That Changed Everything
Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi - Voice of the Forest (2001/2002)
Time travel! We meet a young Professor Oak, though the movie tries to keep it a "secret" until the end.Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias (2002/2003)
Set in Alto Mare (basically Pokémon Venice). This was the last movie to get a wide theatrical release in the US for a very long time. It’s also famous for that ending kiss—was it Latias or Bianca? Fans are still arguing.
The Bridge Years: Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova
After the Johto era, the movies stopped being "must-see" theatrical events for the general public and became more for the hardcore fans. They started going straight to DVD or airing on Cartoon Network/Disney XD.
The Advanced Generation (Hoenn)
- Jirachi—Wish Maker (2003): Max finds a friend that sleeps for a thousand years.
- Destiny Deoxys (2004): Space virus vs. Sky dragon. Very high-tech vibe.
- Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005): One of the best. It introduced "Aura" and felt like a fantasy epic.
- Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006): Manaphy is cute, but the pirate villain is a bit much.
The Diamond and Pearl Trilogy (Sinnoh)
The Sinnoh movies were unique because they actually had a connected plot. If you watch The Rise of Darkrai, Giratina and the Sky Warrior, and Arceus and the Jewel of Life, they form a loose trilogy about the gods of time, space, and antimatter tearing the world apart. Then they finished it off with Zoroark: Master of Illusions, which was basically a standalone caper.
The Black & White / XY Era
Then came the Unova region. They tried something weird here with Victini and the Black Hero: Zekrom and Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram. They released two versions of the same movie at once. Subtle differences. Different legendary. Kind of a gimmick, honestly.
Then we had the XY movies:
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- Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (2014)
- Hoopa and the Clash of Ages (2015)
- Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (2016)
Hoopa’s movie is wild because it basically summons every legendary Pokémon ever for a giant brawl. It’s pure fanservice, but if you like seeing shiny Rayquaza fight everything, it’s a fun ride.
The Great Reboot: A New Timeline
In 2017, the producers realized the main anime was getting a bit cluttered. They decided to celebrate the 20th anniversary by throwing out the current continuity and starting over with a "reboot" Ash.
This started with Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!. It retold the first episode but replaced Misty and Brock with new characters. It was controversial, sure, but it looked beautiful. This led into The Power of Us, which felt more like an ensemble drama than a typical "Ash saves the world" story.
Then came the 3D remake of the first movie (Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution) in 2019. It’s the same script, just with CGI. Some people loved the nostalgia; others thought the humans looked a little bit like porcelain dolls.
The last animated film on the pokemon all movies list—at least for now—is Secrets of the Jungle (2020). It’s a Tarzan-style story with a Pokémon named Zarude. It’s surprisingly heartfelt.
The One We Don't Group With the Others
We can't talk about a pokemon all movies list without mentioning Detective Pikachu (2019). It’s the only live-action film. Ryan Reynolds as a coffee-addicted Pikachu sounds like a fever dream, but it worked. It’s technically separate from the anime, but it’s easily the most "realistic" the world has ever looked.
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Why the Movies Stopped (Basically)
So, why haven't we seen a new movie since 2020?
First off, the pandemic hit the production of Secrets of the Jungle hard, delaying it significantly. But the bigger reason is the anime itself. Ash Ketchum finally won the World Championship and left the show. The new series, Pokémon Horizons, started in 2023 with brand new protagonists, Liko and Roy.
The studio seems to be focusing on these new characters and smaller, high-quality streaming projects like Pokémon Concierge or Twilight Wings rather than the massive yearly theatrical grind.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Watchlist
If you're looking to dive back in, don't just watch them all in order. Most are standalone.
- For the feels: Watch Mewtwo Strikes Back or Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.
- For the visuals: The Power of Us has some of the best art direction in the series.
- For the lore: The Sinnoh trilogy (Rise of Darkrai through Arceus) explains the "Gods" of the Pokémon world.
- For a fresh start: Start with I Choose You! (2017). You don't need to know anything about the previous 900 episodes.
Keep an eye on streaming services like Netflix. They’ve become the "official" home for the newer films in the West, so that’s usually where any surprise announcements will drop first.