By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Let’s face it. Those Dune 2 popcorn buckets are creepy.
But despite that … or because of it … the Dune 2 popcorn buckets that resemble the horrific, gaping maw of a sandworm have gone viral, and are being sold as valuable collectibles.
According to research by Hearts.co the sandworm-inspired buckets are selling for up to $138 online, which is 4.52 times the price charged at AMC theaters for the snack bundle that includes the bucket. In fact, some listings on eBay soared to $600 after collectors discovered theaters were sold out.
Analysis of eBay listings for AMC’s popular Dune: Part 2 Sandworm popcorn bucket reveals that resale of the item has exploded online, with one listing priced at $138—a staggering 452% higher than its AMC theater retail price of $24.99.
Hearts.co looked at 76 eBay listings for the exclusive collector’s bucket that sold between March 1–4 following the movie’s release in theaters. They calculated the average price the collectible sold for and the highest sale price during this period, finding that sales of the popcorn bucket have skyrocketed from the original retail price of $24.99 at AMC Theaters, to an average sale price of $64.36.
Since then, we’ve seen some buckets listed for up to $600. “Many people will be looking to capitalize on the buzz surrounding the movie, by stocking up on these collector’s buckets and then flipping them online for a profit,” says Neal Taparia, founder of Hearts.co. “For those who have little interest in pawning their collectible just yet, it may be worth holding onto it for now. It could further increase in value in the future, as more serious memorabilia collectors look to get their hands on one.”
It’s the kind of result that makes a licensing executive’s heart go all a’flutter, as the buckets are not only doing a great job of promoting the film, but they are also selling popcorn in theaters by the train load.
Dune 2 grossed £147m ($182.5m) globally, and it’s hard to say how many more tickets were sold due to the in-demand bucket, but we do know the bucket has its own fandom. The question is, why is the bucket so popular.
Part of the reason appears to be that it’s just so ridiculously creepy for a food dispensing item that people feel compelled to own it. Another theory, espoused in an SNL skit, is that the horrific sandworm bucket looks very like a sex toy, which is frankly the most disturbing thing I’ve heard so far in 2024.
Stars of the film were actually quite put off by the bucket. Zendaya explained how difficult it is to actually get the popcorn out, which is the entire purpose of a popcorn bucket. “It pulls the popcorn out of your hand,” she said. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Zendaya flatly refused to insert her hand into the maw, saying, “No. I’m good. I’m okay.”
Fellow cast member Josh Brolin was completely creeped out by the product, saying in an Entertainment Tonight video, “I’m not sticking my hand in there. Like, I’m good, I’ll starve.”
The actor later appeared, albeit very reluctantly, in a challenge staged by The Late Show host Stephen Colbert, sticking his hand in the bucket and trying to figure out the objects inside. “I’m being forced to do the Dune Popcorn Bucket Challenge,” Brolin said, thrusting his hand into the gaping, tentacle-filled maw. “It just feels absolutely disgusting.”
One gets the sense the studio had to shell out a little extra for Brolin to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Disgusting or not, the Dune bucket outlines the fact that licensed popcorn buckets have become a great source of licensed income for theaters and studios alike.
Over the past year, as theater’s struggle to emerge from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, chains like AMC have turned to special collectibles, which they can sell for higher profit margins, to maximize sluggish theatrical revenue from ticket sales as the domestic box office struggles overall. As well, the buckets are attracting collectors to buy tickets, rather than waiting for a film to come to streaming.
In its 2023 full year financial report, AMC reported $1.67 billion in food & beverage revenue, as well as $452 million in “other theater” revenue. Of that other revenue, $54 million came from movie-themed merchandise such as collectible popcorn buckets.
“Moviegoers are showing a greater willingness to spend more at theaters, so why not see how far they’re willing to spend?” Boxoffice editor Daniel Loria told TheWrap. “With a ‘Barbie’ tin that costs $35 that costs $25-$30 per unit to buy, the profit margins are much higher than the one or two dollars that come with just a normal bucket of popcorn.”
It’s a big deal for theaters which are still seeing less revenue than in 2018, prior to the pandemic. AMC earned $2.7 billion in 2023, which is 19.5% below its gross revenue of $3.3 billion in 2018. However, revenue for food, beverage and miscellaneous sales are equal to 2018 earnings, showing that theater goers are shelling out more cash for clever collectibles that add to the experience; something you don’t get watching the same film at home.
There is some evidence that films with collectibles do better at the box office as well, as many of the hit films of 2023 all boasted some sort of themed bucket. Wonka offered a hat-shaped bucket, while Barbie sold out 25,000 limited edition buckets designed to look like the pink convertible in the film.
As well, Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble noted his chain sold out of a bucket shaped like the head of the character Ghostface in the film Scream VI.
“We were able then to extend that to an online offering and direct consumers to go purchase them online because they were no longer available in our theaters and we sold a ton of those online as well,” Gamble said.
For major releases, collectible buckets and other memorabilia have become a key part of the business, starting in 2019 when AMC Theaters and Disney teamed up to make an R2-D2 popcorn and drink holder for the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
“It was the initial spark that lit the flame that got this whole collectible concession vessel program started,” said Nels Storm, AMC’s VP of food and beverage product strategy. The bucket sold out at $49.99, touching off an entirely new business opportunity for theaters, studios, and licensees.