Netflix will celebrate National Pokémon Day in a big way.
The streaming giant has secured the exclusive world-wide premiere of Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution, the CGI reimagining of the franchise's debut film, 1998's Pokémon: The First Movie. Debuting in Japan and Korea last summer, Mewtwo Strikes Back follows Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu as they face a bioengineered Mewtwo, who seeks revenge on its human creators after realizing it was being used as a tool for destruction. This storyline was also featured in 2019's live-action film Detective Pikachu, starring Justice Smith, Suki Waterhouse, Kathryin Newton, and Ryan Reynolds, who voiced the titular character.
"The ubiquitous reach and expert team at Netflix make them the perfect partner to bring this special animated movie to kids and fans around the world," said Emily Arons, Pokémon Company International's senior vice president of international business. "Netflix is the ideal platform to help us execute a global simultaneous launch of an animated Pokémon movie on Pokémon Day, a special moment dedicated to celebrating the worldwide Pokémon fan community."
In conjunction with the announcement, Netflix and the Pokémon Company International have released the first English trailer for Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution, which you can watch above. The film will hit Netflix Feb. 27.
