Investor Pitches Wild Pokemon Apocalypse Movie Idea

What would you do if the world ended tomorrow? If you're a Pokemon card collector, you might be sitting on a goldmine. At least, that's what one prominent investor believes.

Peter Levin, co-founder of Griffin Gaming Partners, told The Hollywood Reporter that Pokemon's massive popularity could survive even an apocalypse. "Pokemon is a global phenomenon," he said. "I'm absolutely convinced that if the world suffered an apocalypse tomorrow, the following day the global currency would be Pokemon cards." He also noted that Pokemon cards are beating the S&P 500 by 3,000%. That's a bold claim, but Levin isn't just blowing smoke. Pokemon has been a worldwide hit for over three decades, starting in Japan and exploding globally in the late '90s and early 2000s. After a peak and a dip, it's been on a parabolic growth curve ever since.

Now, imagine a movie based on that idea: survivors in a post-apocalyptic world using Pokemon cards as money. It sounds like a blockbuster waiting to happen. Sure, it might be even better with actual Pokemon running around, like in Detective Pikachu, but Levin's concept is a fun thought experiment even without the creatures.

And he's not wrong about the cards' value. There's a reason why the Japanese mob reportedly used rare Pokemon cards to launder money, and why stores across the US have seen increasingly brazen robberies. Some people are willing to pay ridiculous amounts for the rarest cards. But here's the catch: that value only holds if someone else is willing to trade real currency for them. Without a network of dedicated buyers, Pokemon cards wouldn't be worth the paper they're printed on when the world goes to hell.

So while the apocalypse currency idea is entertaining, it's probably not the most practical survival strategy. Still, it's a reminder of just how deeply Pokemon has embedded itself in our culture and economy.

Before any potential apocalypse, though, Pokemon fans have plenty to look forward to. A new stop-motion animated series is coming to Disney+. Pokemon Go has events lined up for September 2026. And earlier this summer, Pokemon Pokopia got a DLC update. So whether you're stockpiling cards for the end times or just enjoying the games, there's no shortage of Pokemon goodness.

What do you think? Would you watch a Pokemon apocalypse movie? And would you bet on Pokemon cards as post-apocalyptic currency? Let us know in the comments!