Pokemon anime films box office: franchise totals and top films
The Pokemon film franchise spans anime features, CGI hybrids, and the live-action Detective Pikachu.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Pokemon films have grossed over $1 billion worldwide according to The Numbers. Detective Pikachu grossed $433.1 million, Pokemon: The First Movie grossed $163.6 million, and Pokemon the Movie 2000 grossed $133.9 million. Recent Japanese anime releases such as Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You grossed $34.7 million. These figures are worldwide theatrical gross and include both pure anime films and the live-action slash CGI hybrid Detective Pikachu.
Which Pokemon films grossed the most?
The Pokemon film franchise includes more than twenty theatrical releases. The top earner is Detective Pikachu, a live-action and CGI hybrid released in 2019, with $433.1 million worldwide.
Among traditional anime films, Pokemon: The First Movie leads at $163.6 million, followed by Pokemon the Movie 2000 at $133.9 million and Pokemon 3: The Movie at $68.5 million. Recent Japanese anime entries such as Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You grossed $34.7 million.
Top Pokemon films by worldwide theatrical gross. Source: The Numbers.| Film | Worldwide gross | Type |
|---|
| Detective Pikachu | $433.1M | Live-action slash CGI hybrid |
| Pokemon: The First Movie | $163.6M | Anime |
| Pokemon the Movie 2000 | $133.9M | Anime |
| Pokemon 3: The Movie | $68.5M | Anime |
| Pokemon 4Ever | $28.0M | Anime |
| Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You | $34.7M | Anime |
How did the original anime films perform?
The first three Pokemon anime films were released in North America by Warner Bros. between 1999 and 2001 and benefited from the franchise's peak popularity in that region. The First Movie opened to $31.0 million in the United States and Canada and finished with $85.7 million domestically.
After the early 2000s, Pokemon anime films shifted to limited North American releases. Later entries earned most of their money in Japan and select international markets, with North American gross often reported at zero by box office trackers.
What counts as a Pokemon anime film?
Detective Pikachu is technically a live-action and CGI hybrid, not a pure anime film. Most box office trackers include it in the Pokemon franchise because it shares the same IP and characters.
When comparing Pokemon anime films specifically, The First Movie and Pokemon the Movie 2000 remain the top-performing traditional anime entries. The distinction matters because Detective Pikachu's budget and distribution were closer to a Hollywood family film than a Japanese anime feature.
Gross type definition: All figures in this article are worldwide theatrical box office gross, meaning total ticket revenue. They are not adjusted for inflation and do not represent distributor revenue, studio profit, or returns to The Pokemon Company or other rights holders.
What do these numbers not show?
Box office gross does not capture the full Pokemon business. The franchise earns far more from games, merchandise, and licensing than from theatrical films.
The figures also exclude streaming, broadcast, and home video revenue for the films. Those downstream revenues are significant for Pokemon but are generally not reported on a per-title basis.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest-grossing Pokemon film?
Detective Pikachu is the highest-grossing Pokemon film at $433.1 million worldwide, though it is a live-action slash CGI hybrid rather than a pure anime film.
How much did Pokemon: The First Movie gross?
Pokemon: The First Movie grossed $163.6 million worldwide, including $85.7 million in North America.
Are recent Pokemon anime films still released in theaters?
Yes, but recent Japanese anime entries typically receive limited or no North American theatrical release and earn most of their box office in Japan and select Asian markets.
Are these box office numbers the same as The Pokemon Company revenue?
No. Box office gross is total ticket revenue. The Pokemon Company's revenue is dominated by games, merchandise, and licensing, not theatrical gross.
Sources and methodology
- Franchise: Pokemon, The Numbers. Franchise-wide worldwide box office totals for Pokemon films as of August 2026.
- Franchise: Pokemon, Box Office Mojo. Franchise-wide domestic gross rankings for Pokemon films, including Detective Pikachu and early anime releases.