Aardman's Pokémon Tales gets first poster and story details ahead of 2027 premiere

Aardman Animations and The Pokémon Company dropped the first official poster and a full synopsis for Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 21. The stop-motion series is still on track for a 2027 premiere, though no firm release date has been set.

The poster shows Sirfetch'd and Pichu trekking through a mountainous Galar landscape — with Sirfetch'd blissfully about to walk off a cliff, Pichu perched on his leek sword. Classic Aardman. The official synopsis confirms the duo roam the UK-inspired Galar region on a quest to help and protect Pokémon: "Their missions rarely go as planned, but their noble deeds forge their friendship as they step bravely into the unknown. Peril, alliances, rivalries, extraordinary Pokémon, and endless laughs await them." Aardman chief creative director Sarah Cox described the show as "comedic storytelling that celebrates the quirks, eccentricities and charms of our heroes," while director Tom Parkinson is credited with crafting the hand-built aesthetic. Pokémon Company director of animation Phil Rynda also attended the panel, where attendees were shown footage from the pilot.

The project was first announced in 2024 and received a teaser in 2025 — Annecy marks the first time the team has shared this level of detail. The Galar setting is a natural fit: the region is based on the United Kingdom, Sirfetch'd debuted there in Pokémon Sword and Shield, and Aardman is a Bristol-based studio. It's not the first time The Pokémon Company has leaned into stop-motion either — Pokémon Concierge, produced with Netflix and Dwarf Studios, launched in late 2023 and returned for more episodes in 2025.

A firm premiere date is still missing, but the Annecy panel suggests the production is well into its pilot phase. Given Aardman's track record — Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep — expectations are high, and the early reaction to the poster has been enthusiastic.