Pokémon Officially Joins Disney in Unexpected New Partnership

Disney has found an unexpected new way to expand its streaming empire.

Disney+ has increasingly leaned on familiar names to keep subscribers engaged, with Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation Studios providing a steady pipeline of movies and television shows.

But Disney has also looked beyond its own intellectual property when the right opportunity arises. That strategy has now landed the company a deal involving one of the most recognizable entertainment franchises in the world.

Disney+ has entered into a global distribution agreement with The Pokémon Company International, bringing a mix of new and classic Pokémon programming to Disney platforms.

The partnership was announced Friday during PokémonXP in San Francisco and marks a significant new relationship between Disney and the company behind Pikachu, Charizard, and hundreds of other characters.

At the center of the agreement is an entirely new Pokémon production arriving in 2027.

A New Pokémon Series Is Coming to Disney+

Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu will debut on Disney XD and Disney+ in 2027, introducing a new stop-motion take on the long-running franchise.

The series follows Sirfetch’d and Pichu on a journey through the Galar Region. The pair attempts to help and protect other Pokémon, although their missions do not always unfold according to plan.

Along the way, the two characters will encounter allies, rivals, danger, and plenty of other Pokémon as their friendship develops.

The project was produced by The Pokémon Company International with assistance from Aardman Animation, the acclaimed British studio best known for Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run.

Tom Parkinson serves as director, while Nat McKay is Creative Director – IP Development and James Young is Model Making Creative Lead.

The agreement is not limited to new Pokémon content.

Disney has also secured Pokémon the Series: The Beginning, taking viewers back to the earliest adventures of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu.

The classic series began airing on Disney XD earlier in August and is now available on Disney+ in the United States and select international markets.

That gives Disney a foothold in a franchise that has remained a global entertainment powerhouse for three decades.

Pokémon began as a pair of Nintendo Game Boy titles in Japan before developing into a multimedia phenomenon spanning animated television, feature films, trading cards, merchandise, mobile games, and live experiences.

The Disney deal is therefore notable, but its scope also has clear limits.

Nothing announced so far suggests that Disney has acquired Pokémon theme park rights or that characters such as Pikachu are about to appear at Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort.

In fact, Pokémon already has a major relationship with one of Disney’s biggest theme park competitors.

Universal Is Building Its Own Pokémon Relationship

Universal Studios Japan has featured Pokémon in its parks for years, incorporating characters from the franchise into seasonal events, parades, and other entertainment.

That partnership expanded significantly in January 2026.

Universal Studios Japan and The Pokémon Company announced plans for a new project designed to create more immersive Pokémon experiences, with the first set to debut at the Osaka theme park.

More importantly for theme park fans outside Japan, Universal said those experiences would eventually extend across the wider Universal Destinations & Experiences portfolio.

The companies have not revealed exactly what those future projects will involve.

Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Beijing Resort are among the destinations that could theoretically benefit from the expanded relationship, but Universal has not individually confirmed Pokémon attractions for those resorts.

The Universal partnership itself is not new.

The Pokémon Company and Universal Studios Japan announced a long-term alliance in 2021 and have since worked together on projects including the NO LIMIT! Parade and Pokémon-themed Halloween entertainment.

Disney’s deal creates an unusual situation in which two of the world’s largest entertainment companies now have separate relationships involving the same hugely valuable franchise.

What do you think of Disney’s new Pokémon deal?