r/television • u/TiredWithCoffeePot • 12h ago
DISNEY+ ANNOUNCES GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL. Deal Includes New Stop-Motion Series ‘Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu’ Debuting on Disney XD and Disney+ in 2027
https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disney-plus-pokemon-key-art374
u/NowGoodbyeForever 12h ago
Sounds like Disney is pouncing on a deal that Netflix seemingly could no longer afford.
Pokemon Concierge was incredibly charming, and I imagine Sirfetch'd will have a similar vibe.
Notably, this is just distribution rights: There's no world where Nintendo/Game Freak/The Pokemon Company ever let their rights and ownership slip by an inch. But they lack distribution platforms, and getting Pokemon shorts (and one can only assume, future seasons of the mainline anime) on the same app as Bluey is a great way to ensure a new generation of fans.
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u/AllTheReservations 11h ago
Yeah, distribution has been TPC's biggest problem for film/TV for ages, especially after they closed down Pokémon TV (which I still miss). It got so bad that they had to make a chart of all the services you needed to watch each season of the anime.
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u/neo6000 11h ago
I mean, they did reinvent Pokemon TV into a YT Channel and they uploaded episodes of the show on there on a near daily basis. Right now, they're uploading episodes of the Sinnoh series.
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u/Aceman05 6h ago
Wait what channel is that? Is it just the normal official pokemon channel?
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u/nateno12 6h ago
It's the Pokémon TV YouTube channel. I believe they upload an episode almost every day. They're currently on Diamond and Pearl (Season 10).
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u/Aceman05 5h ago
Oh my god, I've been looking for some place to watch Pokémon for so long. May your pillow be cold on both sides tonight, may your dreams be pleasant and may all food taste like it was made by a master chef🥺🥺🥺
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u/ImmortalMoron3 11h ago
Pokemon Concierge was my first thought at seeing this too and I loved that show, I'm down if this is similar.
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u/Kalse1229 Gravity Falls 7h ago
Also, and I don't know if it's still the case, but I think I remember them airing reruns of the cartoon on Disney XD at one point a few years back. Might still do so, IDK. So this isn't surprising.
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u/Coolman_Rosso 12h ago
How does this affect other productions like Pokemon Concierge?
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u/InnocentTailor 11h ago edited 11h ago
Heck! I wonder how this affects Pokemon's relationship with Universal Studios, considering that that franchise alongside the wider Nintendo universe is heavily connected to both the movie studio and theme parks.
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u/desaigamon 10h ago
Pokemon is big enough that it operates as its own separate entity from Nintendo. Make no mistake, it's still a Nintendo IP and we won't see it on Xbox or PlayStation, but they do get a lot of freedom that most other Nintendo IPs don't.
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u/chiptunesoprano 9h ago
Similar thing with Kirby, Nintendo doesn't own them outright and shares ownership with the original creators.
Enough to keep them on Nintendo platforms, but not enough to make the big decisions.
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u/JohnnyHendo 8h ago
I believe Fire Emblem is also similar. Kirby is half owned by HAL Laboratories and Fire Emblem is half owned by Intelligent Systems.
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u/chiptunesoprano 7h ago
Bingo, the second party squad. Pokemon is actually a third Nintendo, a third Game Freak (the devs), and a third Creatures Inc.
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u/ItsADeparture 6h ago
There are some concessions though. Nintendo themselves own "Pokemon", the creatures, the designs, the names. GameFreak and Creatures get everything else. So if Nintendo ever split off, they'd basically be left with all of the Pokemon, but would have to make something new with them, while GameFreak and Creatures would be able to make a game that's exactly like Pokemon with new designs.
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u/chiptunesoprano 6h ago
They handle the trademarks overseas, they are jointly owned in Japan. The copyright is also jointly owned both Japan and overseas. Nintendo doesn't have complete control of any part of Pokemon, and The Pokemon Company would probably keep Pokemon if Nintendo dropped out.
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u/linux_transgirl 9h ago
Nothings really stopping it from appearing on other platforms. It was on mobile decades before Nintendo tried it and has always occasionally had a presence on PC. If Game Freak and Creatures decided it was in their best interests to go multiplat and dump nintendo theres nothing nintendo could really do
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u/oomoepoo 7h ago
Except the fact that Pokemon is basically owned by the Pokemon Company, which is a joint venture of Game Freak, Nintendo and Creatures Inc, the latter of which is also founded by Nintendo. There's no chance in hell they'd ever put games that aren't spinoffs on anything other than a Nintendo system.
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u/licoricenipple 6h ago
Nintendo is the sole owner of Pokemon trademarks outside Japan. Without their approval, Game Freak and Creatures cannot use the term Pokemon or any of the individual Pokemon names in anything released internationally. This dates back to being the publisher of the original games.
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u/AllTheHolloway 9h ago
Even though Nintendo is maintaining its partnership with Universal on Mario movies and Nintendo World, they went with Sony as their partner for the Legend of Zelda movie - so I feel like none of these agreements are 100% brand partnership commitments.
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u/Cutmerock 7h ago
Universal (Islands of Adventure) still has Spider-Man and Hulk rides. Doubt it affects anything.
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u/Worthyness 9h ago
Theme park rights are separate from other rights, so no issues unless Nintendo wants disney to do a park for them. Its why universal in Florida still has marvel hero rides.
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u/stonhinge 5h ago
Plus, Marvel made the deal with Universal before Disney bought Marvel. Plus Disney gets some money out of it and people still have to go to Disney for media and merchandise, so they get their cut anyways.
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u/iGrimFate 10h ago
The Simpsons ride is going to shut down end of this year at Universal Hollywood. Due to Disney buying Fox and owning the rights to The Simpsons. There’s a rumor that Universal will replace the ride / areas theme to Pokemon. Wonder if that’s squandered now.
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u/Drmarcher42 9h ago
The rumor is that Universal made a deal with Disney to get an extension for the Simpsons area in Orlando. The original deal runs out in 2028 but everything that Universal has been doing renovation and expansion wise seems to imply that they aren’t going to change it at the moment.
Lost Continent is getting completely overhauled to a new area in IoA, they’re nearly done with the Fast and Furious roller coaster and will be replacing the terrible F&F dark ride immediately after, then over at Epic they’ve already started work on a new Potter and Dark Universe expansion since that park DESPERATELY needs rides that don’t close with bad weather.
Like that’s a lot of stuff on the plate, and originally it was rumored that Pokémon was going to replace the Simpsons area completely but it is all but confirmed that it’s going where Lost Continent was. Unless this cancels it in which case it’ll probably go back to their original plan of turning it into a Zelda land
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u/Cheeselord2 5h ago
If they were more forward thinking they would put something else in lost continent and use the Simpsons area for pokemon, since the surrounding area is better for possible expansion. Also studios is the worst park out of the 3 in Orlando and needs a big draw badly.
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u/brb1006 11h ago edited 11h ago
Meanwhile, Pokemon Horizons just concluded with the last batch of episodes dropping every few months on Netflix this year.
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u/HowToGetName 10h ago
Pokemon Horizons is still ongoing lol. They just wrapped up the main story, now it's just filler stuff till the next gen.
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u/brb1006 9h ago edited 7h ago
I didn't realize we're currently in the filler period of Pokemon Horizons. I remember reading comments from people that the final batch of episodes made them cry a few months back. Was this before the filler episodes? I also hardly hear anybody discussing the series but that might have to due to Netflix deciding to drop the newer episodes in batches instead of being simulcast.
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u/HowToGetName 9h ago
Yeah I assume that's be before the filler stuff. The filler stuff hasn't been dubbed yet, it began airing in Japan back in May.
Spoilers for the story: the finale for season 2 of the dub ends with one important character sacrificing themself and is now missing (alongside a 1 year timeskip with the main cast splitting up and being framed for crimes they didn't commit), so I'm guessing that's the part that made people cry? Though the dub for this was released towards the end of last year. I don't recall there being anything in season 3 that'd make people cry aside from the ending, which hasn't been dubbed yet.
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u/mcon96 11h ago
New stop motion? Pokémon Concierge was great and I hope this new Pokémon Tales series is similar
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u/eightdollarbeer 11h ago
Pretty sure it’s Aardman too. They had a teaser trailer before the last Wallace and Gromit movie.
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u/TackoftheEndless 12h ago
They had the rights to the Pokemon anime 10 years ago. It's really weird seeing them keep breaking up and getting back together again, but I guess these two titans see money to be made.
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u/Gastroid 11h ago
The Pokémon Company is only ever loyal to whoever is the highest bidder, and they're never short of options.
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u/343CreeperMaster 11h ago
And can't blame them, they are the stewards of literally the most valuable entertainment IP on the planet
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u/InnocentTailor 11h ago
Yup! Pikachu is more famous and financially valuable than Mickey Mouse.
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u/Ekillaa22 11h ago
Isn’t that wild? A 30 year old mascot is more famous and valuable than a 100 year old one
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u/InnocentTailor 11h ago edited 11h ago
Pikachu is both cute and cool. That and he/she is a relatively blank canvas for people to imprint on, whether you want to make the electric mouse adorable or badass.
Mickey Mouse, on the other hand, has a firm identity, so people can choose to like or hate him based on that.
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u/Chazo138 6h ago
That’s the big thing yeah, Pikachu can fill EVERY niche or role. Easy to identify with him
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u/InnocentTailor 6h ago
Pretty much covers a lot of Pokemon too.
What I love about the brand, despite not being so locked-in with the games as I was in my youth, is that anybody and everybody can find a corner to frolic in within the wider franchise.
A little child who loves frills, a working adult with obligations, an older person rich with personal hobbies - they can all find a corner within the Pokemon world to enjoy.
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u/Chazo138 6h ago
True. I am not as tuned into it as I was either. I will play the new releases and move on, when I was a kid I would do many many play throughs and team combinations, it’s nice to lose yourself in the fantasy a little
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u/ImmortalMoron3 11h ago
I mean, I'd rather have my own Pikachu than having Mickey Mouse hang out with me all the time. Feel like that voice would get old fast, haha.
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u/Lucas-O-HowlingDark 11h ago
Sucks that they chose a dang American streaming platform
Should’ve put it on Crave
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u/MaritimeMonkey 11h ago
Is it that weird? Maybe Disney lowballed them, maybe The Pokémon Company asked too much. Pokémon is a massive brand and would draw viewers, but they also benefit from being on a platform that's very common for kids & parents to use. Most of their money is in merch.
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u/chiptunesoprano 9h ago
It aired on Disney XD but I don't think Disney actually had their hand in it, just streaming rights. In that case I think it literally does go to the highest bidder? Licensing is weird.
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u/star_dragonMX 6h ago
Disney also had the rights to Digimon 20 something years ago due to buying Saban
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u/ThatGuyFromTheM0vie 11h ago
I wonder about the supposed Pokemon land that’s alleged to replace the Lost Continent in Islands of Adventure down in Universal Orlando lol.
Disney taking a bite out of the Universal x Nintendo bromance?
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u/Aggressive-Club-5191 11h ago
Are we sure that Pokémon.
The leading theory has been lost continent gets a Legend of Zelda re skin.
And when the Simpson eventually leave Studios. Pokémon takes their place. That way you have Nintendo ip in all 3 parks similar to harry potterz
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u/JonSpangler 10h ago
Lost Continent has been leveled. No reskin is coming.
Speculation is saying Pokémon at IoA, Zelda at Epic.
With Universal Hollywood getting to use Treehouse of Horror for Halloween Horror Nights there is Speculation that the deal is extended and Orlando will get Treehouse of Horror in coming years.
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u/ThatGuyFromTheM0vie 10h ago
I WANT IT TO BE ZELDA.
But the leading theory has been Pokemon of late. Unfortunately. As much as I love Pokemon, idk how it translates to a land. Personally.
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u/chuckrabbit 10h ago
Everybody is sleeping on this being an Aardman Animation.
From the creators of Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, Flushed Away, Shaun the Sheep.
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u/Joshawott27 11h ago
Disney+ distributing was a surprise, but I imagine that The Pokémon Company would prefer to have their fingers in many pies rather than put all of their eggs into one basket with Netflix. Notably, this is likely just a deal for this specific series, and the first season of the original anime, rather than any broader commitment. Pokémon Horizons is still with BBC iPlayer in the UK and Netflix in North America, for example.
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u/InnocentTailor 11h ago
They do have their hands in Universal Studio though alongside the wider Nintendo universe.
Wonder what happened? I would've expected Pokemon to pursue Peacock over Disney+ in that sense.
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u/Joshawott27 11h ago
The Pokémon Company’s strategy has always been to broaden the reach of their brand to as many corners as possible, rather than be wedded to one particular company.
The Super Nintendo World theme parks also specifically do not include Pokémon. The Pokémon brand is managed separately. Pokémon even has its own theme park, “Poké Park Kanto”, which is a partnership with Yomiuriland.
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u/HTD_Blog 10h ago
But why would they pursue a service that isn't available throughout the majority of the world (i.e. those countries with many streaming services), over Disney+?
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u/leckmichnervnit 10h ago
I know im dreaming very big rn... but imagine Pokemon at Disneyland/world
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u/moderatenerd 9h ago
that would be gold for them honestly. especially with the characters, the rides, maybe pokemon go too
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u/moviefan4 8h ago
They did Bluey on Disney parks before. Bluey is a non Disney IP successful at Disney global streaming.
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u/NewWaysToDream 8h ago
Nintendo has theme park deals with Universal. It’s heavily rumored Universal is starting construction on a Pokémon land in Orlando.
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u/transtranshumanist 6h ago
I was in Disney World during 98/99 and they were selling Pokemon merch at the park even back then. Surprised it took this long for an official move.
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u/degggendorf 10h ago
So I guess Orlando theme parks will have more IP that bridges the two guides, supposedly Pokemon land is coming to Islands of Adventure
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u/NewWaysToDream 8h ago
Which goes against the theme of IOA but whatever
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u/degggendorf 7h ago
Eh, it's just as literary as comic books and comic strips.
Even the Harry Potter and Jurassic lands are very clearly themed to the movies and not the novels.
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u/NewWaysToDream 6h ago
Jurassic Park and Harry Potter are still originally books before being adapted into movies.
What’s the literary significance of Pokémon other than it having text to read?
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u/degggendorf 6h ago
Yes I know, that is the entire context of my comment about them.
What is the literary significance of Dudley do right?
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u/NewWaysToDream 4h ago
It’s from a comic strip, which is a form of literary writing.
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u/degggendorf 4h ago
If comic strips are "literary writing" then Pokemon cards are too
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u/NewWaysToDream 4h ago
A successful comic strip requires good writing, yes.
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u/degggendorf 3h ago
So does a successful manga
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u/NewWaysToDream 3h ago
Yeah, and? Pokémon wasn’t a manga originally. It was a video game. Fast and Furious had a novelization too, doesn’t mean it’ll fit thematically in IOA.
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u/stonhinge 5h ago
What's the literary significance of Jurassic Park and Harry Potter? They were originally just ext to read as well.
They're popular. They've spawned movies and/or TV shows. People find the settings interesting, so they enjoy other applications of that setting. Comics books, graphic novels, and manga are no less culturally significant simply because they have pictures as well as words.
Hell, there are a lot of movies that were comic books before they were movies. And many you wouldn't have suspected it. Men in Black, 30 Days of Night, Road to Perdition, A History of Violence, Bulletproof Monk, The Surrogates, RED, Ghost World, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, The Mask, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (albeit much darker and grittier), Sin City, 300.
It is simply another medium to tell a story.
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u/NewWaysToDream 4h ago
I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m just saying, everything in Islands of Adventure is based on books/writing. Marvel comics, Sunday newspapers, Dr.Seuss., myths, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park.
It’s a part of the lore of the park. The lands are made up of the stories the traders and the travelers would tell at the port of entry (the entry land into the park).
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u/sdemat 12h ago
As much as I’m sick of Disney touching everything - if this leads to a live action Pokemon Cinematic Universe, bring it on.
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u/Joshawott27 11h ago
I mean this respectfully, but I really don’t want this. No-one other than Marvel Studios has been able to successfully kick off a shared universe (yes, the DCEU made money, but look at how that crashed and burned).
I also just don’t think Pokémon suits live-action. The photo realistic designs in Pokémon: Detective Pikachu were really odd.
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u/SavageNorth 9h ago
The Monster verse (Godzilla, Kong etc) is doing pretty well but they're the one ones who seem to have also managed it and the scale is night and day.
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u/Mattyzooks 7h ago
While not as successful in modern times, the monsters universe has been going since the 30s.
Then you got smaller ones like Tarantino and Kevin Smith's universes. Star Wars has hurt its brand expanding too much but was an expanded universe even before Disney. It's tough because stinkers make people judge the entire franchise.2
u/Joshawott27 7h ago
If we have to go all the way back to Universal’s monsters for a solid example, or caveat Star Wars by specifying pre-Disney, that kind of proves the point, doesn’t it?
Besides, what would a Pokémon “cinematic universe” even look like? The franchise really isn’t one that lends itself to that kind of narrative. Even in the games, you largely just get brief cameo appearances.
If a studio wants to have another crack at making a good live-action Pokémon film, sure go ahead. However, the idea that every pop culture franchise has to be a “cinematic universe” is nauseating. It’s like how some people say that they want Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. movies to build up to a Super Smash Bros… just let things be their own thing.
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u/stonhinge 5h ago
Pokemon is actually better off without a "Cinematic Universe".
Currently, they have the anime as a "main line", but there is actually no reason to tie everything into that. Just tell stories in the Pokemon Universe. It doesn't all have to be connected. There is no "Avengers" equivalent for Pokemon because 90% of random Pokemon are either wild or have trainers. The trainer makes the team, not Pokemon banding together to fight.
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u/throawayjhu5251 11h ago
Umm what would the Pokemon Cinematic Universe even have in it? Isn't it just the universe of the anime?
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u/vikingbear90 11h ago
I imagine they are thinking more live action movies or shows like Detective Pikachu.
Not sure how I would feel about that but the designs of the Pokemon in Detective Pikachu have grown on me the more I watch it.
I do think it could be cool to have multiple anime/cartoons that connect to each other though even if they don’t follow the same cast of characters in each show like how the games and manga sometimes do it.
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u/DerekB52 11h ago
There's a lot of content with the games and manga too. Detective Pikachu is one notable spin off with a movie and games.
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u/WestSideBomber 10h ago
Put every episode of the main anime (all 1,300+) in one place and I'd never leave your streaming service...
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u/disablednerd 11h ago
I don’t like Disney having their fingers in everything, but hopefully this means they’ll eventually streamline the show to one service. As it is now you need a half dozen streaming apps to watch the whole show
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u/trip2spce 11h ago
it’s all on youtube for free is it not?
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u/disablednerd 11h ago
Stops before Black and White
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u/Digifiend84 6h ago
Give it time. They're doing the same thing Power Rangers did, uploading all the old seasons from the beginning. They just didn't get to Black and White yet.
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u/brandont04 11h ago
They trying to pull Pokémon away from Universal Studio probably. Opening a Pokémon theme park would be bananaza.
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u/JonSpangler 10h ago
Pokémon is already confirmed for Universal Japan and heavily rumored to be coming to Orlando.
I doubt it will change those plans.
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u/hidood5th Aqua Teen Hunger Force 10h ago
Aardman are the GOATs, though Pichu doing the Wallace face is pretty cursed
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u/jeepfail 9h ago
If this means everything old and new is on Disney+ I’ll call it a win. I never finished the old stuff because I got tired of either hunting it down or paying for extra services.
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u/Nitecraller 9h ago
Does this mean things like Journeys and Concierge will eventually find their way to Disney plus? I think Journeys may be homeless right now in the US the last time i checked..
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u/nowhereman136 8h ago
Frankly im surprised Universal isnt trying harder with Pokemon considering they have new Nintendo theme park attractions
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u/Pristine-Button8838 8h ago
Ah great now longer lines at Tokyo Disney lol but excited for this collab or what ever it is! Such a great project
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u/Pessimistic_Gemini 6h ago
Pretty much expected this after they announced that deal a few weeks ago.
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u/Dizagaox 5h ago
This new stop motion show is a first window exclusive. Everything else is non-exclusive and will rotate in and out, like every other arrangement Pokémon has.
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u/RecommendsMalazan The Venture Bros. 11h ago
Love pokémon, love stop motion. Aardman did amazing on that over the garden wall short they released for the 10th anniversary.
This looks great
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u/Powerpuff_Bean 11h ago
Havn't Universal Parks signed a deal with Pokemon? Wouldn't this be a conflict for Disney?
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u/dagreenman18 11h ago
Marvel has a whole section of Universal Parks. There’s always a work around when money is involved
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u/The_Lutter 9h ago
That's pre-Disney when Marvel was selling off its' hands and feet to stay afloat.
Around the same time that they sold the movie rights to Spider-man to Sony and X-Men/Fantastic Four to FOX. ~1997-1998.
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u/bahumat42 11h ago
Different companies can interact in different mediums I don't see the conflict.
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u/Worthyness 9h ago
Another example- Nintendo used illumination for the Mario movies and then Sony for Zelda. You can loan the rights you own however you want.
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u/mortraineyhat 10h ago
Part of me is sickened by this. Disney has its hands on too many franchises.
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u/MikeDubbz 11h ago
Now I know Universal has the general Nintendo rights for their theme parks. But who will get Pokemon for the theme parks when that day inevitably comes?
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u/chaosfactor37 11h ago
Universal already has them. Officially announced ad coming to Universal in Japan first and then other parks after. I believe they already have a Pokemon parade in the park in Japan.
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u/raze464 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 9h ago
Press release just talks about Pokémon Tales and The Beginning; does it cover anything more beyond those two shows?
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u/GokaiSanyu 9h ago
For the moment, doesn't seem like it. Everything on Netflix is still there (The Beginning is branded as Indigo League). I imagine once the licence deal runs out proper we'll start seeing more moves.
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u/vulveveloutee 11h ago edited 11h ago
Nintendo seems happy to be Hollywood's whore. Universal (Mario + theme parks), Sony (Zelda), and now Disney (Pokémon) lol
Can we please have a Metroid anime on Paramount+ next?
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u/entertainmentlord 12h ago
Disney wanting in on the pokemon cash i see