Released in 1999, the Pokémon movie trailer arrived as part of Warner Bros. and Nintendo's push to bring the franchise from television screens into theaters, riding the first wave of Pokémania that swept through American pop culture. The trailer circulated ahead of "Pokémon: The First Movie," building anticipation among a young fanbase already fluent in the game and show. As a promotional strip of 35mm, this material represents the theatrical marketing machinery of the era, when trailers were physically spliced and projected in cinemas before home video and streaming made such artifacts obsolete.
This cell centers on Gyarados, one of the franchise's most formidable and recognizable creatures, prized by collectors for its scale and intensity within the Pokémon roster. As a subject drawn from a movie trailer, this frame belongs to the promotional language of 1999, the teaser footage meant to stir excitement before the feature itself. Gyarados appearing here speaks to the character's presence in the marketing campaign, a reminder that the trailer format was built to showcase standout creatures capable of drawing audiences into theaters.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm positive release-print trailer strip of Pokémon: The Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm layout with four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three full frames plus a sliver of a fourth at the right edge.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or stretched holes seen.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs beside the picture, and Dolby Digital data blocks sit in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear to faintly blue-tinted base with a neutral, saturated dye image; no red shift or fading seen.
Projection history
None seen at this size; the frames, track and perforation areas look clean apart from the film's own grain.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-static shot of the same animated blue creature and water, consistent with an animated Pokémon trailer.
Era check
Consistent with a late-1990s release print: analogue optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks on a positive 35mm base fits a 1999 theatrical 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 000069939
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
