Image: AMC Theatres / Cinemark / Kotaku
As it turns out, the Dune: Part Two sandworm-shaped monstrosity that AMC passed off as a popcorn bucket wasn’t the only one of its kind. In fact, since 2019, AMC has apparently made a killing selling all kinds of collectible tie-in buckets for the year’s biggest blockbusters, from Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker to Taylor Swift: Eras Tour. This year, they’ve been making a killing by selling buckets themed after a bunch of blockbusters and family-centric movies, which tend to bring in huge audiences that live and die for this kind of stuff. It’s all a racket, I tells ya, but a racket that has spawned a bigger market than I was led to believe. Cinemark and other movie theater chains have also jumped on the train, and by now there are folks with a sizeable-enough bunch of these buckets at home to call it an honest-to-goodness collection, and their interest in them an obsession.
And frighteningly, we may just be at the start of this trend. Since first going down this rabbit hole earlier this year, theater chains have only continued putting out the weirdest and most imaginative collectible popcorn buckets, running the gamut from cute to horny. On one hand, there’s a baby carrier for Despicable Me 4 that I simply must have. On the other hand, there’s also a Chestburster bucket from Alien or Wolverine’s mouth. What are we doing here? I’ve come to you all with my findings. I’m so sorry. Here are some of the best, and absolute worst, popcorn buckets you can pick up.
For real American dollars.
Of your own volition.
For some reason.
Screenshot: Regal Cinema
Alien: Romulus is the latest movie to jump on the weirdo popcorn bucket trend and I’ve got to give credit where it’s due: they swung for the fences. I don’t know who decided that anyone would like to eat out of something that once contained the monstrosity from one of the most iconic horror scenes ever, but the mad person did it. And should probably locked away for it too, but that’s neither here nor there.
Image: Universal Pictures
This is actually likely my new favorite popcorn bucket. It’s adorable and keeps with the family-oriented theme of the Despicable Me series and it seems like it’s almost got actual utility. I’ll forgive the Minion cameo (I can’t stand those little freaks) because this is overwhelmingly a home run. Especially compared to the other Despicable Me 4 buckets...
Image: Universal Pictures
Simply terrifying. I am not only tired of eating popcorn out of the heads of fictional characters, but I don’t want to have to look one of the Minions in the eye or open the back of its head to eat out of it. The only comforting thing about this bucket is that at least I don’t have to listen to the gibberish that comes out of these things’ mouths.
Image: Cinemark
These kinds of trays have always felt aimed way more at children than adults, which is a bummer because I know several grown men whose happiness would spike through the roof if I gave them this. Inside Out 2 made several of my friends cry far too many tears, but at least they’d cry happy tears at the sight of this thing, which looks like the control center inside of Riley’s head. In the meantime, get it for the emotional kid in your life.
Image: AMC
In case you doubted Deadpool & Wolverine’s ability to channel its crass humor to a popcorn bucket, here’s the perfect collectors’ item to prove the naysayers wrong, while simultaneously horrifying anyone who actually sees it. Yes, that’s Wolverine’s comically large mouth—even though Deadpool is often called “the Merc with a Mouth”—and yes you are meant to put your hand in there to fetch popcorn out of the bucket. I fear hands are not what people are going to be putting in there, though. If the reaction and horny fervor around the Dune bucket is any indication, God help this poor piece of licensed movie merchandise.
Image: Dreamworks Animation
Summer’s a time for taking kids to the movies to see the latest blockbuster or animated flick. 2024's summer has been no different, and we were lucky enough to get the fourth installment of the Kung Fu Panda movies. Truth be told, I didn’t even know there was ever a third, but that doesn’t matter. The fourth is clearly the best of the lot because it gave us this incredibly adorable bucket. It’s a shame that it doesn’t seem to be sold anymore because I’d exclusively eat out of this every day of the week.
Photo: AMC Theatres
The bucket is obviously a very cool bit of memorabilia for the form factor alone, but I can’t really imagine nonchalantly picking a dude’s brains for popcorn. I think not.
Photo: AMC Theatres
This is more or less the stereotypical version of these crossovers I tend to see when I go to theatres. I sure wouldn’t pay money for a reskin, but at least this one is kinda fun, and doesn’t just stick the poster art on and call it a day.
Photo: AMC Theatres
You know that rule that reasonable folks employ about not eating in the car? Yeah.
Photo: Cinemark
I’m more mixed on this Blue Beetle bucket than I thought I’d be. On one hand, I quite literally never want to look it in the eye, let alone wear it around my neck like the straps seem to suggest you should. On the other hand, it looks like you can close this bad boy and take it on the go, and there’s no better way to snack as far as I’m concerned.
Photo: AMC Theatres
The one that kicked up all this dirt (sand?) in the first place. I’ve come around on it, actually. It’s still hideous, and the folks who want to fuck it are still beyond help, but it’s also just the right amount of unhinged for me to proudly display it on my mantle. Now, to get a mantle.
Photo: AMC Theatres
This is the gold standard, easily. It helps that the Dungeons & Dragons movie is a hoot and a half, but it’s also practical and boasts a gorgeous design. That’s a hell of a D20! Imagine throwing that, getting a crit, and then popping that sucker open for a mid-game bite.
Photo: AMC Theatres
Once again, no one should be eating on/from a car! However, unlike Barbie’s tie-in bucket, I’ve got to give this one kudos because, much like Dom Toretto, it is completely impractical but likely to feed a family.
Photo: AMC Theatres
There’s simply too much going on here, man. It’d be one thing to do the ghoulish pink bucket on the top or the ghost trap on the bottom, but to slap them together like this is a crime.
Photo: Cinemark
This Groot-themed bucket gets a thumbs-up for being a reasonably sized actual bucket. I don’t love the chunk in the front that has the movie’s name emblazoned on it, especially since I think the wooden imagery and Groot handle do all the talking necessary, but I’ll relent and eat from this thing.
Photo: AMC Theatres
Yes. Simple, elegant, and most of all, fetch.
Photo: AMC Theatres
Is this the cat that’s actually an alien from Ms. Marvel? I think the problems with this one are numerous, but let’s start there. It’s not obviously a callback to something in these movies that the average person can pick up on. That makes it much more of a hardcore fan collector item, which is great for the dozens of people who went to see this movie, but not for a more casual fan. Second big problem: Am I supposed to eat around the cat? Is there actually less space in this huge popcorn bucket than if I simply bought a normal large bucket? Third: Wait, am I supposed to pop open the cat’s head for a drink and it’s actually removable? What is happening here?
Photo: AMC Theatres
I wouldn’t personally want a 2-in-1 popcorn bucket and drink, but apparently a lot of folks did, since this R2D2-themed bucket was the one to kickstart this fad back in 2019. Shame that the success of this thing is tied to that stinker of a movie, though.
Photo: Cinemark
No, I do not want to play this game. I would never and I hope you wouldn’t either. What are we really doing here? How do we stop?
Photo: Cinemark
I had to spotlight this second bucket for The Marvels because look at how overly designed this thing is. Look at how unnecessarily huge it is. No receptacle for food should be this unfathomably large, and it certainly shouldn’t be designed to poke an eye out.
Photo: AMC Theatres
This might just be the dumbest one of all the buckets I’ve seen today. Why the hell would anyone want to lift the hammer to reveal the bucket here? If you’re going to make it a container that can be ferried places, at least make it easy to carry around. If I wanted a Mjolnir display, I’d just buy one of the millions of figures and statues that have been available since the dawn of time.
Photo: AMC Theatres
That is a child, folks. Not to mention, Trolls’ hair is the source of their power. How could anyone sleep at night after eating from this bucket, let alone taking it home to show off?
Photo: AMC Theatres
This bucket feels like a slice of Wakanda that you’re able to bring back home without the colonialist implications. It looks high-tech, features plenty of sleek iconography, and just looks snazzy. This is what they eat popcorn out of in Wakandan theatres and I want one for myself.
Photo: Cinemark
Look, I don’t hate it. Of all the things you could make into a bucket, a hat is most of the way there. For a movie about a guy often heralded for his creativity, it’s a bit simple though. It’s pretty clear this wasn’t thought up in a land of pure imagination.
And that’s thankfully all for now folks. Lucky for y’all, I cut about another dozen of these buckets that were just some character’s head. The hell was going on there, y’know? Like, who thought that was the move? And importantly, since these things are largely selling like crazy, why is it working? What is wrong with you all?
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