Released in 1999, Pokémon: The Movie served as the franchise's theatrical debut in the West, arriving at the height of Pokémania and introducing American audiences to Mewtwo's origin story alongside Mew. Warner Bros. distributed the film in the United States following its Japanese release the prior year, and it became a cultural touchstone for a generation raised on the trading card game and television series. The accompanying trailer reels circulated through theaters as part of the marketing push, building anticipation before the feature's wide release and cementing Pokémon's place in mainstream American cinema.
This cell preserves a moment from that promotional reel, built around Mew, the rare and elusive Pokémon whose mythology anchors the film's central conflict as the genetic basis for Mewtwo's creation. Mew has long held a special place among collectors for its scarcity in both game and screen appearances. A card like this, drawn from theatrical trailer material rather than the finished film, captures an early promotional presentation of the character, the kind of frame audiences saw before the movie itself unspooled.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release print trailer of Pokémon: The Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm layout with four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three full frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shape, and cleanly punched with no visible tears or missing holes.
Soundtrack
Two white variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations; no DTS or SDDS seen.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a slight pale-blue cast at the edges; dye image looks neutral and saturated, with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, splices or cue marks seen at this size; the frames look clean.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one shot, and the Mew character with the purple 'MEW' title card fits a Pokémon movie trailer.
Era check
Analog optical tracks plus Dolby Digital blocks on a clear base are consistent with a late-1990s 35mm release print of the film on record.
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 000069987
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
