Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as part of the promotional push surrounding Warner Bros.' theatrical release of Pokémon: The First Movie, the franchise's debut on American screens following its explosive rise through the Game Boy, trading cards, and animated series. The trailer reel served as an early marketing artifact, built to stoke anticipation for Mewtwo's cinematic introduction and the broader Pokémon mythology taking hold of young audiences. Trailer material from this period is scarce in physical 35mm form, making any surviving strip a window into how the studio chose to sell the brand's leap to feature film.
This cell preserves a moment from that trailer centered on Mew, the rare and foundational Pokémon whose mystique anchored the film's plot and whose design predates nearly every creature in the franchise. The dodging action named here reflects Mew's established character traits of elusiveness and playful evasion, qualities long tied to its lore and collector appeal. As a trailer cell rather than a finished film frame, it represents the raw promotional language used to introduce Mew to a mainstream audience before the feature's release, a piece of franchise history rather than narrative continuity.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print strip from the Pokémon: The Movie trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, with three full frames visible on this strip.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle holes that look cleanly punched; the soundtrack side shows a Dolby Digital block in the gap between each perforation.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks in the gaps between the perforations on the same side.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a slight cool blue cast; the dye image looks neutral with no visible red shift or fading.
Projection history
A faint hairline mark shows on the middle frame's upper left; no cue marks or splices are seen at this size.
Picture
Positive image, three consecutive frames from one continuous shot, and the animated pastel look is plausible for the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
Consistent: the analog optical tracks plus Dolby Digital blocks on a 35mm positive print fit a 1999 theatrical release print or 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 000070123
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
