Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex · Library of Congress. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
FILM NOTES
The Punisher arrived in 2004 from Lionsgate, a theatrical revival of Marvel's grim vigilante property after earlier attempts had stalled the character's momentum on screen. Positioned as a hard-edged actioner rather than a superhero spectacle, it leaned into revenge-thriller conventions, pairing genre stars with a lean budget to reintroduce Frank Castle to a new generation of moviegoers. The film found its audience less through box office numbers and more through cult endurance, becoming a staple for fans of vigilante cinema and a touchstone in the character's long publishing and screen history.
This cell centers on Frank Castle himself, the former soldier turned one-man war on crime after unspeakable loss, a figure collectors prize as the emotional core of the entire franchise. Isolating him alone in the frame speaks to his defining trait: a man operating outside partnership, outside team dynamics, carrying the weight of his mission solo. Whether drawn from a trailer strip, title card, or credits sequence, this piece anchors directly to the character's identity, making it a natural centerpiece for anyone building a Punisher-focused collection.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm color release print of The Punisher (2004).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced and cleanly punched with no visible torn or missing perforations.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a single-track analog optical stripe.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read manufacturer text or key numbers.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight cyan-teal tint consistent with modern safety stock; dye image appears neutral with no visible red shift or fading.
Projection history
Light vertical scratching is visible across the frame area, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate.
Picture
Positive color image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with a release print of The Punisher (2004).
Era check
The single variable-area optical track, cyan-tinted polyester safety base, and color dye structure are all consistent with a 2004 theatrical release print.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000064398
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
