Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex · Library of Congress. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Released in 2004 through Lionsgate, The Punisher arrived as part of the early-2000s wave of comic book adaptations that leaned into R-rated grit rather than blockbuster spectacle. Thomas Jane took on the role of Frank Castle, a former Marine and federal agent turned vigilante after the murder of his family, grounding the character in a stripped-down revenge narrative rather than superheroics. The film sits alongside other Marvel properties of its decade that struggled to find lasting franchise footing, but it remains notable for its faithfulness to the character's brutal, unglamorous origins and its cult following among fans of the punisher's original comic runs.
This cell preserves Frank Castle in his identity as the Punisher, the persona collectors seek out above all else from this release. As a solitary figure without surrounding cast, the frame speaks to the character's isolation, a man defined by loss and singular purpose rather than allegiance or partnership. Whether drawn from trailer material or the film proper, a cell like this functions as a marker of the character's presence on 35mm, a physical trace of the era when Castle's war on crime first reached theatrical audiences.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical 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; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible on one edge, alongside what appears to be a Dolby Digital data-block strip between the perforations on the lower edge, consistent with a dual-format optical release print.
Edge print
Text reading 'COLOR' is visible at the upper right corner of the strip; additional edge codes are present but are not fully legible at this size.
Base & colour
The base shows a slight warm-amber tint typical of processed color print stock; the dye image appears intact with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
Light surface scratches are visible running parallel to the film length across the frames, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate.
Picture
Positive color image; all three frames appear to be from the same continuous shot, consistent with a release print of a live-action feature matching the film on record.
Era check
The combination of a Dolby Digital data-block track, variable-area optical track, and color print stock is consistent with a mid-2000s theatrical release print, matching the 2004 release date on record.
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 000064457
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
