Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived in theaters courtesy of Warner Bros. and Kids' WB, riding the first wave of American Pokémania as the franchise's second theatrical feature. Promotional trailers for the film circulated on 35mm ahead of release, giving exhibitors and early audiences a taste of the story's stakes: the Legendary Birds, the appearance of Lugia, and a cast of familiar companions drawn from the television series. These preview reels are scarce survivors compared to full release prints, making them a distinct collecting category tied to the merchandising peak of the Pokémon boom.
This cell is drawn from that trailer material and centers on an explosion sequence in which Charizard pulls Ash and his friends to safety, with Pikachu, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur named alongside him. Charizard remains one of the most sought-after characters in the franchise, prized for its popularity and its recurring role as Ash's powerful ally. The moment described suggests urgency and rescue, fitting the trailer's job of signaling danger and heroism to draw audiences in. As a trailer cell, it represents the promotional arm of the film's release rather than the finished feature itself.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release trailer print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three picture frames, with a fourth perforation pair partly cropped at the right end.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle punches, cleanly cut with no tears or missing holes visible.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base reads as a light blue-cyan tint at the edges; the dye image shows saturated purples, oranges and yellows with no obvious fading.
Projection history
No lines, scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size; one round dark ring on the middle gap is a camera reflection.
Picture
Positive image; the first two frames repeat the same shot and the third is a different shot, so they are not one continuous shot; the animated Pokémon artwork fits the film on record.
Era check
Dolby Digital blocks between the perforations plus an optical track on a 35mm positive fit a release print from around 2000, matching the film on record.
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 000071299
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
