Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 through Warner Bros., brought to American theaters by 4Kids Entertainment and Nintendo at the height of Pokémon's crossover from Game Boy screens to global mainstream fixation. It was the franchise's theatrical debut, built around Mewtwo's origin story, and its box office success proved that the craze extended well beyond trading cards and television. For a generation of young fans, this was often a first movie ticket purchased on the strength of a character alone, and the marketing campaign that preceded it, including the trailer reels struck for theaters, played a large role in building anticipation before the film ever opened.
This cell comes from that promotional reel, a 35mm trailer frame built to stir curiosity ahead of release. Mewtwo, the film's central figure and one of the most sought after characters in the franchise, anchors the moment. As a genetically engineered Pokémon central to the story's conflict, Mewtwo carries weight beyond the usual roster, making any trailer appearance a point of interest for collectors tracing the character's earliest theatrical promotion.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release-print strip from the Pokémon: The First Movie trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations span each frame along both edges, and the strip holds three frames, the third cut off at the right.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
A double variable-area optical track runs between the picture and the lower perforations, and small Dolby Digital data blocks sit in the gaps between the lower perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a light blue tint at both edges; the dye image looks neutral and saturated, with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size; the frames and track look clean, with no visible scratches, splices or cue marks.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-static shot, and the animated style is consistent with the film on record.
Era check
Optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks on a clear-base positive print is consistent with a late-1990s 35mm release print, so it fits a 1999 trailer.
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 000069843
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
