The Powerpuff Girls Movie (2002) arrived from Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures as a theatrical expansion of the hit television series created by Craig McCracken. The film served as an origin story, explaining how Professor Utonium's three chemically-enhanced creations became the protectors of Townsville, and it brought the show's distinctive retro-modern animation style to the big screen. As one of the studio's early efforts to translate a Cartoon Network property into a feature film, it holds a notable place in the network's history of theatrical crossovers and remains a touchstone for fans of early-2000s animation.
This cell comes from the trailer material promoting that release, a piece of film built to introduce audiences to Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup ahead of the movie's debut. Trailer cells like this one capture the promotional apparatus of a film rather than a scene from its narrative proper, preserving a moment when anticipation was being built rather than payoff delivered. For collectors, having all three girls together in a single strip is desirable, since the trio's dynamic, leader, sweetheart, and tough fighter, is the franchise's core appeal, and promotional reels marking their theatrical debut carry particular historical weight.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of The Powerpuff Girls Movie trailer (2002).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three complete frames plus slivers of the neighbouring frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shape, cleanly punched with no visible tears or damage.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations, plus a dashed line above the optical tracks.
Edge print
A faint code reading something like "323" is visible on the upper edge; the rest of the edge print is not legible in this capture.
Base & colour
Light cyan-blue tint to the edge base with grainy texture; the dye image looks saturated and neutral, with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size beyond a few faint specks; no splices, cue marks or obvious scratches in the picture area.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one continuous shot, and the Powerpuff Girls characters match the film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a 2002 35mm release print: optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks suits a theatrical print of that period, and the vivid dye image suggests modern 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 000071066
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
