The Powerpuff Girls Movie (2002) brought Craig McCracken's Cartoon Network hit to theaters, expanding the show's origin story into a feature release from Warner Bros. The series had already become a defining piece of early-2000s animation, prized for its mix of candy-colored style and genuine action, and the film served as both a prequel and a love letter to fans who grew up with Townsville's youngest defenders. Its theatrical run extended the brand well beyond television, giving collectors a tangible piece of the franchise's bigger-screen ambitions.
This cell comes from the film's trailer material, representing the three leads together, Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup, the complete team as audiences would recognize them from the promotional campaign. Trailer cells like this one circulated to build anticipation ahead of release, often carrying the clearest, most iconic grouping of characters used to sell the film. For collectors, having all three sisters in a single frame is the ideal configuration, representing the franchise's core identity and the unity that defines the Powerpuff Girls as a team.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release-print trailer strip of The Powerpuff Girls Movie (2002).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, with three full frames visible on the strip.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track with two tracks 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 base with a light blue edge tint; the dye image looks saturated and neutral, with no fading or colour shift seen.
Projection history
None seen at this size; no scratches, cue marks or splices are visible on these three frames.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-static shot, and the Powerpuff Girls characters match the film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a 2002 release print: an analogue optical track combined with Dolby Digital data blocks matches the sound formats of early-2000s 35mm theatrical prints.
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 000071063
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
