Pokémon 3: The Movie arrived in 2001 as the third theatrical entry from Warner Bros. and The Pokémon Company, riding the final crest of the franchise's first great wave of American popularity. Built around Unown, Molly Hale, and the legendary beast Entei, it pushed the series toward moodier, more mythic territory than its predecessors. Promotional material from this period, including trailer reels distributed ahead of release, circulates today among collectors eager for pre-release artifacts that capture the film's marketing push rather than the finished feature itself.
This cell comes from that trailer material and centers on Entei, the legendary Pokémon whose presence drives much of the film's plot and emotional weight. Entei Attacking points to a moment of conflict central to the character's role in the story, a beast summoned through grief and imagination into something dangerous. Trailer cells like this one were produced to tease audiences before the film's run, making them scarce byproducts of a promotional process rather than the feature print. For collectors, Entei's rarity as a legendary figure drives strong interest in any surviving material bearing its likeness.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm optical-sound release trailer print for Pokémon 3: The Movie (2001).
Gauge
Perforations run along both edges at four per frame pitch with three frames visible, which matches 35mm; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shape, and cleanly punched with no tears or distortion visible.
Soundtrack
One variable-area optical track runs beside the picture, with a checkered double-bilateral waveform; no Dolby Digital blocks between the lower perforations, only a grey patterned strip.
Edge print
A small mirrored number reading 57 appears along the lower edge; no manufacturer text or SAFETY FILM wording is legible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base looks pale cyan-blue at the edges with a neutral clear centre; the dye image shows saturated blues and pinks with no obvious fading.
Projection history
No lines, scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one dissolving shot, and the animated artwork is plausible for the film on record.
Era check
An optical track with a patterned strip in place of digital data is consistent with a 2001 trailer print, and the animation suits Pokémon 3.
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 000071136
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
