Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's promotional push ahead of Pokémon: The First Movie, riding the franchise's explosive arrival in American pop culture. The teaser circulated in theaters to prime audiences for the animated feature, built around Mewtwo's origin and the legendary Mew, and stands as an artifact of the merchandising and media blitz that defined Pokémon's first wave of mainstream success in the West. Trailer cells from this release are scarce compared to the feature film itself, making them a distinct category for collectors tracing the brand's earliest theatrical footprint.
This cell preserves a strip from that trailer featuring Mew, the rare and mythical Pokémon whose mystery fueled much of the film's marketing and the species' mythology within the games. Mew's presence here ties directly to the promotional purpose of the reel, teasing the creature central to the First Movie's plot. For collectors, Mew holds particular appeal as one of the franchise's most sought-after figures, and a trailer appearance adds a layer of promotional history distinct from the feature presentation itself.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release-print trailer strip of Pokémon: The Movie (1999).
Gauge
Four perforations per frame along both edges, so a 35mm layout; the strip holds three frames, with parts of a fourth not in view.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, with a dashed line along the outer edge and speckled blocks between the lower perforations, consistent with Dolby Digital data.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base reads a light cyan-blue on the edge margins; the dye image looks neutral with strong saturated purples and no obvious fading.
Projection history
No scratches, splices or cue marks seen at this size; the dark areas look clean.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one continuous shot, and the animated white creature matches the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
Optical track plus Dolby Digital data blocks fits a late-1990s 35mm release print, which suits a 1999 theatrical trailer for this film.
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 000069979
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
