From Dune 2 to Despicable Me 4 to Wicked, there’s been one consistent trend at the movies this year: the novelty popcorn bucket. Are these collectibles a genius marketing tactic to get the public to engage with in-person cinema? Or is this a blatent cash-grab aimed at disguising the lack of originality in our sequel-centric entertainment economy?
Dune 2 and the Origins of the Popcorn Bucket Trend
Though novelty popcorn buckets pre-date 2024, their popularity skyrocketed earlier this year with the release of Dune 2 on March 1st of this year. If fans of Dune went to see this sequel in an AMC theater, they were met with an odd surprise: the option to purchase a popcorn bucket shaped like one of the sci-fi series’ iconic sandworms.
Sold for $25, these buckets were a bit costly. But the unsettling (and according to many, somewhat suggestive) look of this design by Zinc Group was enough to entice many moviegoers. The Dune popcorn buckets started going viral on social media not long after the movie’s release. Whether loved or hated, they were certainly generating a lot of buzz for AMC, and for the Dune series.
The buckets remained prevalent in 2024’s pop culture landscape, even after Dune 2 left theaters. A fan even cosplayed as one of the Dune buckets at Atlanta’s DragonCon in September. Now, they’re a limited collectible product, often selling for upwards of $200 on eBay.
Increasing Absurdity in Design
In the wake of the Dune craze, AMC and its primary competitors, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark, have been capitalizing upon the attention that Dune 2‘s novelty buckets received. Here’s a brief rundown of a few other notably quirky, flashy, and flat-out impractical popcorn vessels from this year in movies:
Despicable Me 4
Released on July 3rd, Despicable Me 4 came to Regal Cinemas along with a baby-carrier themed popcorn bucket. This adjustable popcorn carrier was designed to be strapped to the wearer’s chest. It features details such as the movie’s logo, minion-style overalls, and Gru’s signature striped scarf.
These popcorn carriers were not made as widely available as the Dune sandworm buckets. However, moviegoers found it more practical to obtain another (minion-shaped) bucket. The round minion-bucket, also sold by Regal, has made the rounds on social media.
Alien: Romulus
Regal released another easily iconic popcorn bucket (or more correctly, popcorn specimen chamber) for the ninth installment of the Alien franchise. Alien: Romulus came out on August 16th, along with its eerie snack vessel featuring one of the series’ “facehuggers.” The cinema chain’s website calls this a “striking homage to the Alien saga’s relentless suspense.” As the second notable sci-fi entry in this popcorn review, the Romulus container competes with the viral Dune bucket more directly than the others. It ultimately sets itself apart by its ability to glow green, courtesy of the batteries included in this $36.95 purchase.
Gladiator II
Released on November 22, Gladiator II has a few unique popcorn buckets to its name. Cinemark released a bucket shaped like the Colosseum, which contained a printed QR code at the bottom. When Gladiator fans finished their popcorn, they could scan this code to watch an augmented reality fight inside the mini-Colosseum. This bucket cost $22.99.
Not to be outdone, Regal released both a popcorn bucket topped by an imposing gladiator helmet. The top of this helmet opens for easy popcorn access, but it is also completely removable, making it one of the more practical entries on this list. While the original price was around $27, these helmet-buckets are now being sold online for $70-100.
Wicked
Also released on November 22, the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked has been a huge success. Regal Cinemas dominated the popcorn competition for this long-anticipated and record-breaking release. Though many theaters sold Wicked merchandise, Regal’s creativity stood out, with both a witch-hat drink cup and a light-up popcorn lantern on offer for fans. The lantern originally sold for $35 at Regal and now costs upwards of $100 online.
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim
The latest entry on this list is the animated Lord of the Rings prequel, which came out on December 13th. For this release, AMC Theaters revealed what is potentially the most absurd design so far: a 27-inch popcorn warhammer. Fans of The Lord of the Rings and popcorn bucket collectors alike have been posting about this unwieldy piece of merchandise on social media since it was first announced. The general consensus is that the popcorn warhammer is horribly impractical — but very cool nonetheless. Residing at the upper end of the typical price-range for novetly popcorn buckets, this snack-weapon cost $32.99 at participating AMC locations.
The Positives: Reviving Fandom Culture and In-Person Cinema
The popcorn trend has brought a lot of excitement back to the movies. Whether you’re someone who likes to joke about ridiculous designs on TikTok or a merchandise collector seeking to obtain (or resell) limited-edition items, lately new popcorn bucket announcements always seem to create a buzz.
Additionally, most of the film franchises that received their own popcorn bucket already have large and loyal fanbases. Going to the movies in person and purchasing one of these items is a great way to engage in fandom culture and obtain a memorable collectible. While many of the aforementioned popcorn buckets were available for official purchase online as well, purchasing in person allows for a more complete and communal entertainment experience for the sentimental fan.
It’s no secret that movie theaters have been struggling to pull customers since the COVID-19 pandemic. With the increased availability of new movies through streaming services, it can be hard for theaters to convince the public that watching a film on the big screen is worth it. The popcorn buckets are irrefutably a marketing tactic and a customer incentive. However, this tactic is aimed towards actually enhancing to viewer’s own experience and creating a fun memory. Rather than just upcharging classic concessions, theaters are finally trying their hand at something new and engaging.
Usually, theaters try not to produce too many novelty buckets. This prevents waste, but also leads to limited supply and increased value for online resale, upping the engagement of collectors.
The Negatives: High Prices, Big Companies, and Excessive Sequel Films
Novelty popcorn buckets have definitely been a hit for theater chains such as AMC, Regal, and Cinemark. After all, theaters make most of their money from concessions, not tickets. This pricey merchandise is helping theater companies get back on their feet in a big way. However, this is also a downside for many struggling independent theaters. If fans of Despicable Me or The Lord of the Rings feel enticed to see their favorite franchise’s new film at a Regal or AMC location so they can snag the latest internet-famous popcorn bucket, smaller theaters lose out. Unable to compete with the marketing of the major chains, indie cinemas won’t be able to make the same pop-culture comeback.
Still, if the resurgence of “going to the movies” as an activity outlives the popcorn trend, it could be something all theaters benefit from.
Then again, the current cinema landscape is not too promising. Every movie discussed in this article has either been a sequel or spinoff of an already-established series. Wicked is the only exception, though as a film adaptation of a Broadway musical loosely based on The Wizard of Oz, it is hardly an original story either. Even looking beyond the popcorn buckets, the Worldwide Box Office for 2024 shows that every movie in this year’s top ten (again, with the tentative exception of Wicked) is a sequel.
Movie audiences are suffering from a serious case of sequel fatigue. It’s true that franchise continuations draw fans reliably, and a sequel is always a safe bet for studios. Still, there’s only so much a franchise can produce before audiences start to feel like the source material has been oversaturated. It remains to be seen whether or not novelty popcorn buckets can outlast and overcome the lack of originality at the theater.
Will We See More of This Trend?
Since theater chains have been reliably producing unique popcorn bucket designs since Dune 2‘s big hit in March, it’s safe to say this trend will definitely be continuing over into 2025. But just how long it lasts remains to be seen. Can theater companies really come up with something that tops the popcorn baby-carrier or the 27-inch warhammer? Hopefully, yes. If these collectibles are a cash-grab for dying franchises, they should at least continue to be entertaining.
With upcoming anticipated releases such as Captain America: Brave New World, A Minecraft Movie, and Wicked: Part Two, it’ll be interesting to see if next year’s novelty popcorn buckets continue to outdo each other in creativity and absurdity.
And maybe, an original story will soon get the chance to have its own weird and wild popcorn merchandise.
