We’re getting a Pokémon x Aardman project and I am THRILLED

It’s been a good few years if you love Pokémon and love animation! The new anime Pokémon Horizons came out last year, and at the tail end of 2023 we were also granted the beautiful Pokémon Concierge, made with needle felting and stop-motion. It turned out that stop-motion was absolutely the perfect match for Pokémon. And now we’re getting more—from Wallace and Gromit creators Aardman, the claymation geniuses!

I’m so happy. I grew up with both Aardman and Pokémon, you see. As a young child I was terrified by Aardman’s first Wallace and Gromit film, A Grand Day Out, but that fear soon turned into fascination. I’ve devoured Aardman projects with relish ever since, especially the Wallace and Gromit flicks. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is literally one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. So I could not be happier Pokémon, the beloved franchise that conquered my life from ages 11 to 13, is getting the Aardman treatment.

The official Pokémon and Aardman X accounts dropped the news with a tiny little animation of red, white and black blobs becoming a Pokéball. Reactions were positive all round, with many people posting Wallace and Gromit gifs stating their excitement.

Deadline has some details of the press release. Taito Okiura, VP of Marketing and Media at The Pokémon Company International, said, “This is a dream partnership for Pokémon. Aardman are masters of their craft, and we have been blown away by their talent and creativity. What we have been working on together ensures our global Pokémon fans are in for a treat.”

Aardman are equally complimentary about the Pokémon Company. Sean Clarke, the managing director, said, “It’s a huge honor to be working with The Pokémon Company International—we feel sincerely privileged to be trusted with bringing their characters and world to life in a brand-new way. Bringing together Pokémon, the world’s biggest entertainment brand, together with our love of craft, character and comedic storytelling feels incredibly exciting.”

And I’m incredibly excited too! But the bad news is: the Pokémon claymation project won’t be out until 2027, unfortunately. That’s a long time to wait. But I do have the upcoming Wallace and Gromit movie, Murder Most Fowl, and the second season of Pokémon Concierge to keep me going until then. See you on the other side, ready to catch ’em all.