Movie merchandise has always been a way for fans to show their love for their favorite films. But in 2024, popcorn buckets have become an unexpected battleground. Studios are competing to create the most eye-catching snack containers for their fans.
Each new bucket outdoes the last in sheer weirdness, even venturing into NSFW (Not Safe For Work) territory. The recent ‘Popcorn Bucket Wars’ have heated up with the release of the daring Deadpool & Wolverine bucket.
Fans are eager to see if it will top the famous Dune: Part Two bucket. However, Alien: Romulus also joins the battle with a creepy Facehugger popcorn bucket that is sure to give fans the creeps.
Alien: Romulus Teases Creepy Facehugger Popcorn Bucket
The Alien: Romulus popcorn bucket details are still a secret, but a teaser video from Fandango gives a sneak peek. The quick clip reveals a scary Facehugger on the bucket, paying tribute to the frightening creatures from the Alien movies. These creatures latch onto people and plant dangerous alien babies inside them.
https://twitter.com/ThePassportBros/status/1811514821768024262
Movie merchandise in 2024 has seen its share of oddities. Earlier this year, the Dune: Part Two popcorn bucket became famous online, but not in the way the creators intended. Shaped like a huge sandworm from the movie, some fans found it suggestive. Even Florence Pugh, one of the movie’s stars, publicly questioned the design choices.
The ‘Popcorn Bucket Wars’ show how movie marketing is changing. Studios are finding new ways to create unique and fun experiences for fans, and these popcorn buckets are proof of that. There’s no denying that this strategy is a stroke of marketing genius. The buckets have generated massive social media buzz. This free publicity is a win for the movies, keeping them at the forefront of pop culture conversations.
A Look into Deadpool & Wolverine Bucket Crown
The upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine movie isn’t holding back with its bold popcorn bucket. In a promo video by Ryan Reynolds, we see a close-up of Deadpool’s gloved hand teasingly touching the bucket to the tune of Also Sprach Zarathustra from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The video ends with a big Wolverine head opening its mouth for popcorn. The words “Designed by Deadpool” are on the side of the bucket, with butter dripping down its face, making it the wildest popcorn bucket of the year (so far).
Years from now they will look back at 2024 as the year the War of the Popcorn Buckets began. #history #DeadpoolAndWolverine ❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/4agugzGNLp
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) May 30, 2024
And now, Alien: Romulus plans to compete strongly in the popcorn bucket battles with its eerie Facehugger design. Whether it can beat the current champion of strangeness, the Deadpool & Wolverine bucket, is yet to be known.
Deadpool & Wolverine is set to release on July 26, 2024, and Alien: Romulus will release on August 16, 2024. Meanwhile, watch Dune: Part Two on Apple TV.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alien: Romulus popcorn bucket shaped like?
The Alien: Romulus popcorn bucket is designed to look like a Facehugger, the creature from the Alien franchise that latches onto a person’s face and implants a parasitic alien inside them. A teaser video from Fandango revealed the unsettling design as part of what the article calls the 2024 “Popcorn Bucket Wars,” where studios compete to create the most attention-grabbing novelty concession items ahead of a film’s release.
What other movies released unusual popcorn buckets around the same time?
Around the same period, Deadpool & Wolverine released a bucket shaped like Wolverine’s head with an open mouth and dripping butter, promoted by Ryan Reynolds in a video set to music from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Dune: Part Two also released a sandworm-shaped bucket that drew online attention, including public comments from star Florence Pugh, for its suggestive appearance.
When do Deadpool & Wolverine and Alien: Romulus release in theaters?
According to the article, Deadpool & Wolverine released in theaters on July 26, 2024, while Alien: Romulus followed on August 16, 2024. Dune: Part Two, whose sandworm-shaped bucket was part of the same merchandising trend, had already left theaters by that point and was reported to be available to stream on Apple TV.
