Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived in theaters courtesy of Warner Bros. and Nintendo's licensing machine at the height of Pokémania, following the franchise's breakout debut film. It served as the second theatrical outing for the series, pairing Ash and friends with a sprawling promotional campaign that included trading cards, tie-in merchandise, and heavy trailer rotation on television and in cinemas. For collectors, this era represents the commercial peak of the franchise's first wave, when a Pokémon trailer could command as much attention as the feature itself.
This cell comes from that promotional reel, built around Lawrence III's flying palace, the airborne fortress belonging to the film's antiquities-collecting antagonist. Lugia's presence marks this as a highlight moment, since the legendary Pokémon's association with the palace and with Lawrence's obsessive pursuit forms a central thread of the story. Trailer cells like this one circulated to build anticipation ahead of release, offering an early glimpse of the film's central conflict. For collectors, the pairing of Lugia with Lawrence's signature vessel represents one of the more recognizable promotional beats from the film's marketing push.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release trailer print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
Four perforations per frame along both edges, which is the 35mm layout; the strip holds three full frames side by side with their frame lines.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched with no torn or stretched holes seen.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track of two tracks runs along one edge, with Dolby Digital data blocks in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Slightly cool, bluish-neutral base with the dye image intact; no red shift or fading seen.
Projection history
None seen at this size; the round dark spot on the third frame is a camera reflection and is ignored.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames repeat one near-identical shot consecutively, and nothing in them contradicts the animated film on record.
Era check
Dual optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks on a colour positive matches a 2000-era 35mm release trailer print, which carried this combined soundtrack layout.
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 000071221
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
