Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as part of the promotional push surrounding the franchise's leap from handheld screens and Saturday morning television to theatrical release. Distributed in the United States by Warner Bros. in advance of Pokémon: The First Movie, these trailer reels circulated through theaters to build anticipation among a fan base already devoted to the games and series. As a piece of 35mm promotional material, the trailer represents the franchise's early push into mainstream cinema, a moment when Pokémon was becoming a fixture of American pop culture rather than a niche import.
This cell preserves a moment built around Gyarados, one of the more formidable and visually striking Pokémon from the original roster, long prized by collectors for its dramatic design and relative rarity in promotional material compared to Pikachu or other mascots. As a trailer cell, its purpose was to generate excitement, offering audiences a glimpse of the film's scale and the creatures populating its world. For collectors, a Gyarados cell from this specific promotional run marks an early theatrical appearance of the character within the franchise's cinematic debut.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release print of the Pokémon: The Movie trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm, with four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three full frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both the top and bottom edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shaped and cleanly punched, with no tears seen.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs between the picture and the lower perforations, and speckled Dolby Digital data blocks sit in the gaps between the lower perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Light blue-cyan tint to the clear base along the edges; the dye image looks saturated and neutral, with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size; no scratches, cue marks or splices visible on these three frames.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one shot with only slight movement, and the animated style is plausible for the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a late-1990s release print: a dual optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks fits the 1999 era, and the strip shows a positive print stock.
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 000069944
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
