Which Pokémon film was remade as Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution?

Pokémon: The First Movie was remade as Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution.

The original film, released in Japan in 1998, tells the story of Mewtwo and its attempt to understand its identity while confronting the humans who created it. Ash, Pikachu, and other Trainers are drawn into Mewtwo’s plan on New Island.

The remake was released in 2019 and retold the same central story using computer-generated 3D animation. Its title deliberately references the original Japanese title, Mewtwo Strikes Back. This can confuse viewers because the 1998 film’s international title was Pokémon: The First Movie, while its subtitle was Mewtwo Strikes Back.

The remake is not a sequel to the original film. It is a new adaptation of the same storyline, with updated visuals and broadly corresponding characters and events. The earlier movie also contained the short Pikachu’s Vacation in many theatrical presentations, while Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution focused on the feature-length Mewtwo narrative.