Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in theaters in November 1999, riding the first great wave of Pokémania as Warner Bros. brought the franchise's inaugural feature film to American audiences following its earlier Japanese release. The promotional trailer that preceded it played a critical role in building anticipation, introducing moviegoers to Mewtwo's origin story before the film itself hit screens. For a generation raised on the trading cards and Game Boy titles, this trailer was often their first glimpse of the darker, more philosophical tone the movie promised, setting it apart from the television series.
This cell preserves a close-up of Mewtwo, the genetically engineered Pokémon whose creation and existential struggle anchor the film's narrative. Mewtwo remains one of the franchise's most sought-after characters among collectors, prized for its central role in the story and its enduring popularity across merchandise lines. A close-up from a trailer frame carries particular significance, as these promotional strips were produced in far smaller quantities than theatrical release prints, making surviving 35mm trailer cells a scarcer category within film memorabilia from this era of Pokémon's theatrical debut.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release trailer print of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm layout: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds four frames, the leftmost one cropped at the strip's end.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shaped and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing holes seen.
Soundtrack
Two white variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, and speckled Dolby Digital data blocks sit in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Light blue-tinted base with a dark, neutral dye image; no red shift or fading is evident in the colours shown.
Projection history
No scratches, splices or cue marks seen at this size; one round dark spot on the third frame is camera reflection and is ignored.
Picture
Positive image, four consecutive frames of one continuous shot of an animated character; the animated style is plausible for the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
Dual optical tracks plus Dolby Digital blocks on a 35mm print fit a late-1990s release print, so the Pokémon: The First Movie trailer is plausible.
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
