The Powerpuff Girls Movie (2002) arrived from Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. as a theatrical origin story for Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, characters who had already built a devoted following through the hit television series. Directed by Craig McCracken, the film traced the girls' creation and early struggles to be accepted as heroes in Townsville, expanding the show's world for the big screen. Its release marked a notable moment for Cartoon Network's original properties crossing into theaters, reinforcing the franchise's place in early 2000s animation and merchandising.
This cell comes from the trailer that introduced audiences to that feature, a format used to build anticipation by showcasing key characters in motion ahead of release. Here Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are shown flying, a signature action tied directly to their identity as superpowered heroines. For collectors, trailer cells like this hold appeal as promotional artifacts that circulated before the film's debut, capturing the trio together in their most iconic activity. It represents the franchise's core image: three sisters unified in flight, the visual shorthand for their heroism and bond.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print of The Powerpuff Girls Movie trailer (2002).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations span each frame along both edges, and the strip holds three full frames plus slivers of neighbouring frames at the strip ends.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes that look evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or visibly damaged perforations in this capture.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track runs beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations; no DTS timecode line or SDDS tracks are visible.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture; the only mark on the edge margin is a small faint character near the top edge, too small to read as text.
Base & colour
The base has a pale blue-cyan tint at the edges, and the dye image looks warm and saturated, with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size; the margins and perforations look clean, with only faint surface marks.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames run consecutively as one continuous shot with a steady camera move, and the cartoon characters match a Powerpuff Girls trailer.
Era check
Consistent with a 2002 release print: a Dolby Digital plus optical analogue soundtrack combination was standard on 35mm prints of that period, on a polyester-looking base.
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 000071090
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
