[SPOILERS] Gen VII: The Future

[Lufenium]

Before I begin, minor Sun/Moon spoilers abound, so read with caution.
It's not too soon for this, is it?

I've been thinking about something since the demo datamine leaked in October - Marshadow.
Marshadow is the 802nd Pokemon, and currently the last in the National dex. What makes it noteworthy, is that alongside Magearna, it is one of a pair of mythical Pokemon.

Whenever a new generation comes around, we're able to look at leaks and see which mythical is going to appear in the movie of said years. Example, Gen VI mythicals:
Diancie - 2014
Hoopa - 2015
Volcanion - 2016

However, Magearna also appeared in this year's film, which is unusual as in previous generations (III, IV, V & VI) all had the first mythical appear in the film which came out the year after the games did:

Ruby & Sapphire - JP 2002
Jirachi - 2003 movie

Diamond & Pearl - JP 2006
Darkrai - 2007 movie

Black & White - JP 2010
Victini - 2011 movie

X&Y - WW 2013
Diancie/Mega Diancie - 2014 movie

There's a pattern with mythicals that we can follow. However, with Gen VII, only two mythicals were revealed, and Magearna already appeared alongside Volcanion. This leaves us with Marshadow for next year's film. We can expect an official reveal of Marshadow at some point early next year in CoroCoro.

However, my big point here is this - there's no Pokemon after Marshadow. So...what's next? Who will be the star of the 2018 film? Will the next entry introduce new Pokemon, or will it be a brand new generation?
This isn't a discussion for Stars, or for D/P remakes. We already have threads specifically dedicated to those topics. It's a general discussion for what's next and that we have no clue as to any of the yearly mythical releases after next year. Any general Marshadow discussion, Gen VII.5 discussion, and discussion on Game Freak releasing new mythicals/forms via updates/DLC is welcome here as well.


For reference, the specific discussion threads:

Stars discussion thread: Pokemon Stars Discussion Thread

D/P remake discussion thread: The Generation IV Remake Discussion

Pokemon game in 2017 discussion thread: Pokemon Game in 2017

Kanto/Johto sequels thread: Kanto/Johto Sequels

 

[PurplePopplio]

If Stars is real, then it'll possibly introduce the mythical for the 2018 film. That could be one way to go.

 

[Esserise]

It's been brought up in the Kanto/Johto Sequels thread, but since you mention Mythical distributions, the Mewnium Z is probably noteworthy. That could function in lieu of an actual Mythical Pokémon if they wanted it to.

 

[RileyXY1]

It's been brought up in the Kanto/Johto Sequels thread, but since you mention Mythical distributions, the Mewnium Z is probably noteworthy. That could function in lieu of an actual Mythical Pokémon if they wanted it to.

That would likely require a new Kanto game (and haven't we seen that region too much?)

 

[Esserise]

That would likely require a new Kanto game (and haven't we seen that region too much?)

I'd argue that we haven't, or at least, we've never seen it truly changed, which there is plenty of room to do if they go with sequels. FRLG didn't change anything significant about Kanto itself; instead, they just added a new sub-region. And in comparison to its "normal" rendering in RBY and FRLG, it was actually diminished in its GSC and HGSS appearances.

 

[Master Cyrus]

I can see them using Mewnium Z as the star of the third movie of the generation.

I don't really want another Kanto game tbh. IMO we've been getting flooded by Kanto references and pandering since XY and it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if gens 6 and 7 were kanto lite, only for us to get another Kanto game afterwards. Kanto isn't the only place that matters.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

The movie after the first gen 7 movie would be the movie to represent the next main series game on 3DS in my opinion. They can do Ultra Beasts for the movies and not just have mythicals.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

With these games only having one other mythical that hasn't had a movie yet, it really makes me wonder what they'll do. Marshadow is probably going to get its own movie, though I'm not sure what they'll do for the other films. They have the Tapus, the legendary trio, and the Ultra Beasts, but I have no idea beyond this point.

 

[Falconwing]

Well, the anime seems to be doing the Tapus but I can see the Ultra Beasts geting movie focus.

 

[Tuoko]

There's also the fact they started talking about Necrozma possibly having something to do with Solgaleo and Lunala before the games even released, unlike Giratina, Kyurem, and Zygarde.

I can see 2017's movie focusing on Necrozma and Marshadow. I can also see 2018's movie having focus on Mew and its Z-Move, but will there be something else? The Z-Move is hype-worthy, that's for sure, but are they that hype-worthy to get people to want to watch the movie? I think it's possible we might see a new form or a new Pokemon by then, but we'll see.

As for the Ultra Beasts and Cosmog line, I can see the main anime giving attention to them.

 

[TwistedxMind]

There's also the fact they started talking about Necrozma possibly having something to do with Solgaleo and Lunala before the games even released, unlike Giratina, Kyurem, and Zygarde.

I can see 2017's movie focusing on Necrozma and Marshadow. I can also see 2018's movie having focus on Mew and its Z-Move, but will there be something else? The Z-Move is hype-worthy, that's for sure, but are they that hype-worthy to get people to want to watch the movie? I think it's possible we might see a new form or a new Pokemon by then, but we'll see.

As for the Ultra Beasts and Cosmog line, I can see the main anime giving attention to them.

What did they say Necrozma's potential connection to Solgaleo and Lunala was ?

 

[Tuoko]

What did they say Necrozma's potential connection to Solgaleo and Lunala was ?

They didn't say what it was in the game, but I was just pointing out they're already talking about Necrozma now unlike the past third legendaries.

 

[Silktree]

CoroCoro did imply that Necrozma is connected to Solgaleo and Lunala. Of course, it also overhyped the Alola starters' "secret" months ago.

I can see them using Mewnium Z as the star of the third movie of the generation.

Why third? They need a mythical for every movie and they only have Marshadow for next year.

Even though Marshadow and Mew both have Z-moves, I still expect both of them to get forms so that the corresponding movies will actually promote new games.

2017: New Alola game (the one that already has a thread) with a Marshadow form
2018: New games with a Mew form

I suppose that if Game Freak didn't feel like adding new forms, they could just make the Z-crystals exclusive to the respective games (instead of simply distributing them to all games). That would be a little lazy, though.

Either way, let's just say that I don't expect the 2018 games to be DP remakes.

 

[TwistedxMind]

well I guess based off in game texts the connection between Necrozma, Solgaleo, and Lunala is that they are from the same dimension. However I am curious what there role was in that dimension and what their legend is in Alola more. I feel like the Tapu's were discussed more in detail.

 

[Silktree]

I feel like the Tapu's were discussed more in detail.

Which makes sense since they are actually native to Alola.

 

[TwistedxMind]

Which makes sense since they are actually native to Alola.

true but the box art legendries feel left out lol. and Each island should have went more into each Tapu more. We really only learned more about Koko.

 

[Silktree]

true but the box art legendries feel left out lol. and Each island should have went more into each Tapu more. We really only learned more about Koko.

We do know that Tapu Bulu rampaged through Tapu Village. I wouldn't say that we learned about Tapu Koko so much as we saw it in action (saving Cosmog and fighting UB-02). The main lore is not specific to any particular Tapu.

 

[TwistedxMind]

We do know that Tapu Bulu rampaged through Tapu Village. I wouldn't say that we learned about Tapu Koko so much as we saw it in action (saving Cosmog and fighting UB-02). The main lore is not specific to any particular Tapu.

Must have missed that Bulu tid bit, but true we don't know much about Koko, but seeing the other Tapu's would have been nice. I'm sure there is more to the lore hidden in the game that people haven't found yet.

 

[Gengarzilla]

There's still Necrozma. It's not Mythical but I like the thought of that crystalline creature being related to Solgaleo/Lunala in some form and would like it to have a role in their movie. Some of the Ultra Beasts could be used afterwards to fill the next one before moving to Marshadow.

 

[Silktree]

Some of the Ultra Beasts could be used afterwards to fill the next one before moving to Marshadow.

That is not how the movies haved worked since 2003, though. I don't see them waiting until 2018, let alone 2019, to distribute Marshadow. Every movie arguably needs a mythical Pokemon as a selling point. Also, the Ultra Beasts (by which I don't mean the mascots or Necrozma) are too odd looking to be used as movie stars (which is not to say they can't have supporting roles).

After Marshadow they'll probably use Mew, and in 2019 they might use another old mythical Pokemon.