What was the first Pokémon feature film released in theaters?

The first Pokémon feature film released in theaters was Pokémon: The First Movie.

Released in Japan in 1998 as Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, the film centers on Mewtwo, a genetically created Pokémon who questions the purpose of its existence. Ash, Pikachu, and their friends become involved after Mewtwo invites powerful Trainers to a mysterious island.

The international English title was Pokémon: The First Movie—Mewtwo Strikes Back. In North America, it opened in 1999 and was accompanied by the short film Pikachu’s Vacation. The feature became a major theatrical event during the height of Pokémania.

The movie is often shortened to “Mewtwo Strikes Back,” which can cause confusion because that is its Japanese and international subtitle. The franchise later produced many more theatrical films, including Pokémon the Movie 2000 and Pokémon 3: The Movie.