Released in the summer of 2000, Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived courtesy of Warner Bros. in North America, following hot on the heels of the franchise's first theatrical feature and riding the peak of Pokémania. It expanded the series' mythology beyond Pikachu and the original cast, introducing legendary birds and a central figure meant to anchor the story's ecological, almost mythic stakes. For a generation of young audiences, this was appointment viewing, and the promotional material that preceded it, including trailers like this one, served as a first glimpse into that larger world.
This cell preserves a piece of that promotional reel, carrying the name Lugia, the guardian legendary at the heart of the film's plot. Lugia's design and stature made it an instant favorite among collectors of Pokémon ephemera, and its appearance in early marketing material speaks to its importance as the film's central draw. A trailer cell like this one captures a fragment of that advance pitch to audiences, a piece of film history preserved outside the feature itself, tied directly to the character meant to sell the picture.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical trailer print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000, dated 2000.
Gauge
35mm layout, with four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three full frames, shown in near-identical consecutive positions.
Perforations
Four per frame on both the top and bottom edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shape, and cleanly punched with no tears or torn edges visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track runs between the picture and the lower perforations, appearing as two white modulated tracks; Dolby Digital blocks are present in the gaps between the lower perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear, slightly cool blue-tinted base at the edges; the dye image shows deep purples and blues with no obvious fading or warm shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size beyond a dark oval reflection on the middle gap area, which is a camera artefact, not film damage.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-static shot, and nothing in them contradicts the film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a 2000-era release print or trailer: analog optical track plus Dolby Digital data between perforations was standard for theatrical prints of that year.
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 000071264
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
