Pokemon fans want new protagonists for the movies

The Pokemon movie franchise is currently dormant, but when it returns, fans want to see new heroes at the helm and not the return of Ash Ketchum.

From 1998-2020, a new Pokemon movie was released every year. Since 2020’s Pokemon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, there haven’t been any new films released or announced.

A post on the Pokemon Reddit has asked fans if they believe that the Pokemon movies are done and whether they will feature the return of Ash Ketchum. While fans are confident the films will return, there are many who don’t want to see Ash return in a starring role.

“I’m hoping that moving beyond Ash and Pikachu as the main characters means we can have movies with other main characters too,” one fan wrote, while another agreed, “I don’t know, but if we get a new Pokemon movie, I hope it doesn’t involve Ash, we need movies about the Game’s storyline like we had in Chronicles, origins and Twilight Wings.”

“I’d like to see an older Ash, Brock, Misty etc if it’s the anniversary so hopefully we’ll get something on that,” one fan said, “However if they are thinking about more adventures when he’s still 10 years old, please don’t, move on and let other younger characters take the stage.”

Another fan wrote, “Considering how big the Pokemon world is, it’s crazy they don’t make one-off movies with new characters and different genres. They should never do live-action, though.”

The 30th anniversary of the Pokemon franchise will occur in 2026, and the 30th anniversary of the first movie will occur in 2028. While the movie series has been dormant for years, it will likely be revived for the 30th anniversary, even if it’s just a one-off.

The Pokemon Company has confirmed that Ash Ketchum will return, and the movies are the best way to bring him back. The fans aren’t all on board with this idea, as there is a demand for new characters to take the spotlight, including Roy and Liko, the protagonists of the Pokemon Horizons anime.