Who directed Pokémon: The First Movie?
Kunihiko Yuyama directed the 1998 Japanese anime film. He also directed the 2019 CGI remake titled Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back, Evolution.
Questions about Pokémon: The First Movie
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was Pokémon: The First Movie released in North America?
The English-language version of the film debuted on the 10th of November 1999. It closed its theatrical run on the 27th of February 2000.
How much money did Pokémon: The First Movie make at the box office?
The worldwide box office gross totaled $172,744,662. The United States box office total is estimated to have been $190.7 million when adjusted for inflation as of September 2025.
Why were there toy recalls after Pokémon: The First Movie came out?
A 13-month-old girl named Kira Murphy died on the 11th of December 1999 when a Poké Ball toy became stuck over her mouth and nose. Burger King issued a recall of the toys on the 28th of December 1999 following this incident and another similar one involving a child in Kansas.
What changes did Norman J. Grossfeld make to the original Japanese script?
Norman J. Grossfeld worked with Michael Haigney and John Touhey to heavily edit the original Japanese script written by Takeshi Shudo. He felt American audiences needed to see a clearly evil villain rather than a morally ambiguous one like Mewtwo.