Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived in theaters courtesy of Warner Bros., riding the crest of Pokémania at its peak in the American market. As the second theatrical feature in the franchise, it built directly on the momentum of the original film and the ongoing television series, bringing the Legendary Birds and Lugia to the big screen while reinforcing the merchandising and cultural juggernaut that Pokémon had become by the year 2000. Trailer material from this period is scarce in physical form, since most promotional reels were run through projectors and discarded once their theatrical run ended.
This cell comes from a trailer strip, the promotional reel used to build anticipation ahead of the feature's release, and it gathers four fan favorites from the original generation: Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Venonat, and Marill. Squirtle and Bulbasaur carry particular weight among collectors as members of the original starter lineup, icons of the franchise's earliest identity, while Venonat and Marill round out the frame as beloved early Kanto and Johto species. A grouping like this reflects the trailer's function of showcasing the wider Pokémon roster to draw audiences beyond the film's central legendary creatures.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds four frames
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no visible tearing or distortion
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along one edge, and Dolby Digital data blocks are visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the same edge
Base shows a slight warm-neutral tint consistent with color print stock; dye image appears fully saturated with no visible fading or red shift
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks seen in this capture
Picture
Positive color image; all four frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot and are consistent with animated content matching Pokémon: The Movie 2000
Era check
The combination of Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks, variable-area optical track, and Kodak color print stock is 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
