One of the most remarkable phenomena in pop culture is the never-ending, seemingly immortal Pokémon trading card game. What’s especially interesting—and quite perplexing—is that the trading card game is so popular it generates billions of dollars. Yet, despite its success, the Pokémon franchise has only given us one live-action movie and a handful of animated films that made it to theaters. Sure, there are dozens of TV shows, mountains of toys, and endless merchandise, but the Pokémon IP still hasn’t reached the status of mega-franchises like Star Wars or Marvel.

I’ve had Pokémon on my mind this week because of today’s release of Pokémon: Prismatic Evolution. This card drop is one of the craziest I can remember. Back when my son was in high school, we spent countless hours driving around looking for Pokémon cards. It was always a fun way to connect and bond, even if there was occasional drama with stock shortages and scalpers. But it was all manageable.

But this time, things are on another level. Trucks have been broken into, stores have been robbed, and the product is beyond scarce. Apparently, even major retailers received only a handful of stock. Whether this shortage is an intentional strategy by The Pokémon Company to generate buzz or an unintended miscalculation, it’s certainly gotten everyone’s attention. And everybody’s blood pressure up.

Bottom line is that pokémon is once again in the forefront of Pop culture drama. So let’s make something happen!


Let’s talk about Detective Pikachu, the 2019 live-action movie that showed just how amazing Pokémon could be on the big screen. Directed by Rob Letterman and starring Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu, the movie combined jaw-dropping visuals with heartfelt storytelling, introducing us to a world where humans and Pokémon coexist in live action. It was a massive cultural moment. I still remember watching that thing and realizing that I witnessed a perfect interpretation of my childhood fantasies.

The film grossed $433 million at the global box office, making it the second highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time. It resonated with both longtime fans and newcomers, proving there’s a hunger for more stories set in this universe. Yet, even after this massive success, we still don’t have a true live-action Pokémon franchise. Why? It’s baffling to see such potential left untapped when the foundation for something extraordinary has already been laid.

I mean think about it, we live in a world where there are sequels to movies like the Marine, Hocus Pocus, and an entire trilogy of Sonic movies – which are excellent.

Despite Pokémon’s immense popularity, it hasn’t crossed the threshold into the upper echelon of pop culture franchises. Why don’t we have a Pokémon Land in a major theme park? Why hasn’t The Pokémon Company leaned further into cinematic storytelling? The IP has all the elements needed for greatness, but it feels like it’s being held back.



If The Pokémon Company wants to take its brand to the next level they got to start getting this mapped out. However, I’m quite certain they already have but I just wanted something to write.

1. Greenlight a Live-Action Movie Trilogy
Build on Detective Pikachu’s success by creating a trilogy of interconnected live-action films. Start with an origin story about a young trainer competing in a Pokémon League Championship, followed by sequels exploring legendary Pokémon and epic conflicts.


2. Revive the Animated Movies for Theaters
Develop high-budget, cinematic-quality animated films for theatrical release. These films could dive into Pokémon lore, exploring regions like Sinnoh or Galar, while appealing to both younger audiences and nostalgic fans.


3. Launch a Live-Action TV Series
Create a live-action series focused on gym battles, legendary quests, and rich character development. Think Stranger Things meets Pokémon, with a mix of adventure, drama, and nostalgia.


4. Build a Pokémon Theme Park
Partner with Universal Studios or Disney to create a Pokémon-themed park. Visitors could explore a life-sized Viridian Forest, battle gym leaders in interactive attractions, or catch Pokémon in augmented reality experiences.


5. Introduce an official Pokemon convention like how Star Wars did with Star Wars celebration.


6. Expand Merchandise Beyond Cards and Toys
Launch more high-end Pokémon collaborations, like limited-edition sneakers, luxury watches, or Pokémon-themed home goods, to capture the attention of older fans and collectors. I know they already have this but it needs to be improved.


7. Collaborate with Cultural Icons
Collaborate with musicians, artists, and athletes to bring Pokémon further into mainstream culture. Imagine a world tour featuring Pokémon-inspired visuals or streetwear collaborations with top brands. The more they do this the more they will remove the idea of pokémon just being for kids. Star Wars did it successfully.


8. Create Pokémon Adventure Camps
Establish immersive Pokémon-themed adventure camps. Kids could train like real Pokémon trainers, solve challenges, and compete in simulated Pokémon battles. Would that not be an awesome TV contest show?


9. Develop AR and VR Experiences
Build on the success of Pokémon GO by creating augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) games. Imagine battling Pokémon in your living room or exploring Johto in an immersive VR world. Take pokémon Go to the next level!


10. Expand the Pokémon Cinematic Universe
Beyond the main trilogy, create spin-off movies exploring different regions, legendary Pokémon, or iconic characters like Professor Oak, Misty, or Team Rocket.

The Pokémon franchise has everything it needs to ascend to the same cultural heights as Star Wars or Marvel. It has nostalgia, worldwide recognition, and a built-in fanbase spanning generations. All that’s missing is the ambition to scale up and take risks.

The success of Detective Pikachu proved the demand is there. The excitement around Pokémon: Prismatic Evolution shows the brand’s relevance. It’s time for The Pokémon Company to seize the moment, expand the universe, and turn Pokémon into the global franchise it deserves to be.