Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived from Warner Bros. and 4Kids Entertainment as the franchise pressed its advantage while Pokemania still ran hot in American culture. Following the original film's box office success, this second theatrical outing widened the mythology beyond Pikachu and Ash's core circle, introducing the legendary bird trio and the guardian of the seas, Lugia, to mainstream audiences. Trailers for the picture circulated widely in advance of release, building anticipation among a fanbase primed by television, trading cards, and merchandise. The movie stands as a marker of the era's peak crossover moment, when Pokémon extended firmly into event cinema.
This cell preserves a moment from that promotional reel, built around Lugia's appearance, a legendary Pokémon whose rarity and mystique made it an instant favorite among collectors and fans alike. A trailer cell like this served to announce the character to audiences ahead of the film itself, positioning Lugia as the story's central mythic presence. For collectors, this represents an early glimpse of that introduction, tied to the marketing push that helped define the franchise's theatrical ambitions at the turn of the millennium.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
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; punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the picture area, appearing as a dual-band waveform strip.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base shows a slight blue-teal tint consistent with modern safety stock; dye image appears neutral with strong blue-violet saturation in the picture area.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive image; all three frames show the same shot with minimal change between them, indicating consecutive frames from a single scene; animated content is consistent with the film on record.
Era check
The variable-area optical soundtrack, blue-tinted safety base, and color dye saturation are all consistent with a 1999-2000 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, 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.
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
