What was the first Pokémon movie called?

The first Pokémon movie was Pokémon: The First Movie. Its Japanese title is Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, and it was directed by Kunihiko Yuyama.

The film premiered in Japan on July 18, 1998. Its story centers on Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon created from research involving Mew. Mewtwo invites trainers to New Island, where it tests its strength and confronts questions about identity, origins, and whether created Pokémon can define themselves.

The international English release used the title Pokémon: The First Movie and added the subtitle Mewtwo Strikes Back in many listings and releases. It opened in North America in November 1999 through Warner Bros. Pictures.

The movie is often confused with Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, a computer-animated remake released in 2019. That later film retells the first movie's main story rather than being the original theatrical film.