Tom Cruise can maintain a thriving movie career even after jumping up and down on Oprah Winfrey’s couch and, you know, that whole Scientology thing. So it might not be a huge surprise that he’s wearing another hat now: popcorn bucket designer.

According to Time Magazine, Cruise was part of the creative process of making this object for Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. Considering that AMC made $54 million from the sale of “collectible concession vessels” in 2023 (and $0 in 2018), that’s a great idea. Regal Cinemas head of business development, Matt Willard, told Time that the Barbie movie was what got them in the popcorn bucket-making game.

If you’re curious about Cruise’s contribution, it sounds like it was a positive experience. AMC’s director of food and beverage product strategy, Rob Bennett, said, “We nailed it.”

Between the Transformers One popcorn bucket and the, um, unique look of Dune 2‘s, popcorn buckets have made heading to the local movie theater even more compelling. Back in the day, aka when I was a kid, the most exciting thing about popcorn was the globs of butter you could ask for. Maybe, if you were lucky, you could get some chocolate or candy and mix that in. Now that was living. Nowadays, kids and kids-at-heart can look forward to a new release and a (hopefully) cool and artistic popcorn bucket.

Since Cruise doesn’t use stunt actors and Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning is the swan song to the franchise, it makes sense that he would want to be involved in the full experience of saying goodbye. In 2021, he explained why he was attracted to the action franchise, saying, “I wanted something that was going to be very commercial, potentially, but I wanted something that was going to be artistically challenging.” And while some actors would say they already have a packed schedule and couldn’t fit in one more task, Cruise thrives on having a lot to do. He told Fandango that he “works seven days a week” and “I enjoy the pressure, I do enjoy the challenge, but I realize — I woke up, and I enjoy this.”

With more people curling up on the couch at home to watch movies via streaming and fewer butts in movie theater seats, it’s a no-brainer for companies to try to make as much money as they possibly can. The Zinc Group vice president of business development, Rod Mason, told Yahoo! Entertainment “We started it” and movie theaters purchase the popcorn buckets from them. Mason explained that movie theaters want people to purchase popcorn buckets on opening weekend.

It’s a big deal that Cruise is helping with the design since it sounds like most of the time, that’s not common practice. Marcus Gonzalez, the Zinc Group creative director, told Vulture that if actors are also a movie’s executive producer, they have discussions about what the object looks like. Gonzalez said, “Sometimes they have very strong opinions, so you follow suit.” Mason told Vulture that if a director or actor’s resemblance is on the popcorn bucket, “they get the final say.”

Of course, everyone wants to know what the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning popcorn bucket looks like, especially now that Cruise’s involvement has been made public. Unfortunately, it’ll be a bit of a wait, as the movie premieres on May 23, 2025. Chances are it will be worth it!

Popcorn buckets have become a bit of a *thing* over the last few years, as fresh movies mastermind increasingly ambitious buckets to accompany those big screen releases.

It was Dune: Part 2 that really put the bucket wars on the map, despite the rise in prevalence of popcorn buckets several years before the blockbuster release hit screens. While it was likely a side effect of COVID that really sparked the idea — how do we get audiences back in theaters? Collectible popcorn paraphernalia, of course! — it was the dedication from studios that made the effort stick. Who doesn’t want to slide their hand into a many-toothed mouth that also looks suspiciously risqué? Or head home with a gaping-mouthed Wolvie smeared with butter stains? That’s the true sign of affluence in 2024 right there.

The popcorn receptacle trend isn’t dying out anytime soon, and Disney is wholeheartedly plunging back into the ring with its dual submissions for the highly-anticipated Moana 2. The sought-after sequel is headed to the big screen in less than a month, and when it lands it will do so in style, with a carefully themed bucket to satisfy snackish viewers.

The bucket itself is sure to satisfy even famished moviegoers, but the same can’t be said for its fellow Moana-themed snack receptacle. The popcorn bucket is nice and sizeable, and features a tiny Moana on a sandy beach next to a massive wave. The wave will serve as the “bucket” portion of the item, with the top set on hinges so it can be opened up and flooded to the brim with tasty, buttery goodness.

Its the nacho option that really raises questions, despite its truly adorable design. Moviegoers can also get a Moana-themed nacho tray — designed after Moana’s hardy little boat — and its honestly a delightful little toy, complete with a sliding top that conceals the chamber inside. The issue? Its tiny as all get-out, and likely can’t fit more than a small handful of chips and dip before it runs dry.

Movie theater nachos are not some “eat one and you’re done” treat. They are an indulgence, and deserve to be treated as such. The only way to enjoy those stale chips and plain, barely better than plastic cheese sauce is en masse, and with no shortage of pickled jalapeños to spice up the experience.

As such, any nacho tray provided to theatergoers should be twice the size of that meager little boat, at least. What is this, a tray for ants? Who’s going to eat five chips and throw in the towel, especially after spending upwards of $30 on them? Sure, you get to take the charming little tray home with you, but is it worth the cost when so little cheesy goodness is included?

There’s only one reasonable recourse, given the truly paltry size of the nacho boat. Assuming unlimited nacho refills are included in the boat’s price, its not an unreasonable purchase. Yes, it will be annoying to traipse back and forth to the concessions stand a minimum of 12 times so you can fill your tiny container to its entire six-chip capacity, but post-movie, that little boat could boast all kinds of contents. Sliced cheese and meat, alongside crackers, for a mid-afternoon snack? Absolutely. Even a sandwich could conceivable cram itself into the tiny allotted space with enough effort, which is hopefully enough to make the purchase worthwhile.

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There is gore and then there is gore. Damien Leone’s Terrifier franchise is the latter of the two.

Picking up where Stephen King left off, Terrifer capitalizes on the public’s aversion to cl0wns. The franchise follows the ghoulish antics of Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), a killer so horrifying that viewers have had to restrain themselves from throwing up in the theater. The original film premiered in 2016 and since then, the nauseating visuals have become a badge of honor. So much so that when Leone was approached to reinvision the films for the masses, he shot it down. He spoke to Total Film about the studio’s desire to repackage the films.

“They wanted to reboot it for a wider audience. That’s not what I was interested in. They would say, ‘It’s gotta be rated R, it can’t be as gory as you made it.’ I knew they’d never let me shoot the first 10 minutes of what I wanted to do [in Terrifier 3], so I thought, ‘Let’s just stay true to what this franchise is.'”

The opening scene of the third film is reportedly so intense that even Thornton himself had to resist the urge to vomit. The new film is following up where the previous one left off, some months later. According to the film’s synopsis, Terrifer 3 will lean away from its roots on All Hallow’s Eve and instead appeal to the Christmas crowd.

“After surviving Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre, Sienna and her brother are struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they’re safe, Art the Clown returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare.”

A fun-filled night for the whole family. Just in time for the event, Cinemark plans to release a popcorn bucket full of holiday cheer.

When will the Terrifier popcorn bucket be available?

Cinemark reports that the new popcorn bucket will be available as early as September. Fans can pre-order the collector’s item on the website when it becomes available. The bucket has the likeness of Art, but naturally, dressed as Santa Claus.

Since the bucket has yet to go live, pricing information remains unavailable. However, presumably it should fall in the range of similar merchandise. AMC has made a killing off of popcorn buckets, from Dune to Deadpool & Wolverine. And while this bucket doesn’t have the same suggestive aesthetic as its predecessors, one can expect it to fall in a comparable price range. The haunting exclusive Wolverine bucket goes for $32.99, while the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice light-up container is going for $24.99.

It is safe to say that the Terrifier version won’t reach astronomical prices, such as the catastrophe of the Dune bucket. The popcorn recepticle had gone viral because of its appearance suggestive of the Shai-Hulud, causing the strange phenomenon of second hand retailers selling the bucket for hundreds of dollars. At this time, fans of the horror franchise will more than likely have to wait for the September 18 date for further details.

Going to the theater is more about just seeing movies. Now at select theaters, movie-goers get the supreme delight of themed popcorn buckets. Popcorn buckets have always been a part of the perks of going out to the movies, but in recent years, they have become more creative.

The release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie came accompanied by her iconic pink car as a popcorn receptacle. And in more controversial circumstances, there was the infamous Dune popcorn bucket that we will never forget. Initially created to mimic the appearance of Shai-hulud, the teeth of the sandworm made getting your hand inside a logistical nightmare.

This go-around, the trend continues with the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. The sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the film will show the return of Egon Spengler’s family when a mysterious and villainous cold front envelopes the coast in the heat of the summer. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will be accompanied by its own popcorn bucket that may be less provocative than the previous one. Maybe.

Where can Ghostbusters fans get their popcorn bucket?

At select theatres, ghost-busting fans can grab a popcorn bucket in the form of the most gluttonous specter in the franchise. These containers come in the form of the green ghost known as Slimer, who has a habit of gobbling up everything in front of him. A fitting form for a snack bucket to take, the collectible features Slimer with his mouth open, spilling his popcorn into a red basket.

These buckets, as well as an assortment of other merchandise options, are available exclusively at Cinemark theaters. The company also offers a more conventional bucket with Slimer on the outside, as well as a Smiler plushie. The Slimer popcorn bucket goes for $30, while the more traditional tin will be available for $15.

For those who are not able to make it to a local Cinemark, there are other options for selecting a Ghostbusters collectible. AMC does not disappoint with its own version of a popcorn bucket. Their merchandise also includes a Slimer, but a slightly more realistic rendition. The ghost has a mouth wide open and no helpful basket for the popcorn to be placed in.

The theater chain also offers a version where you don’t have to eat Slimer’s vomit. The second option is a ghost trap, where you can retrieve your snacks from a helpful tub on top. The ghost trap option will become available online for $39.99 when the film is released.

Whatever your prediction for ghosts and ghouls is, these theater chains have got you covered. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire premieres on March 22, 2024.

Generally speaking, there’s no wrong way to be a fan. Want to go to the theater dressed as your favorite superhero and enjoy Marvel’s The Marvels? Make it happen, Cap’n. Want to eat corn out of an egg sac and drink bubbling sugar out of the head of a cat while you do it">limited edition popcorn bucket that would light up with an array of stunning LEDs, making anyone who purchased it the most annoying thing in the theater, save for Ezra Miller.

It’s time to roll out to your nearest theater and into a showing of the latest installment in one of the most phenomenal film franchises of all time: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

The Transformers films have captivated audiences of all ages and circumstances, from those who grew up watching the cartoon versions of our favorite Autobots and playing with the kind of toys that look like a truck or car in one moment, and a robot who will help save the world in the next.

World-saving robots might not initially sound like the kind of film you’d find emotionally captivating, but that in itself is one of the beautiful discoveries fans make as they sit down for the movie, even those that audiences would deem lackluster at best.

With quotes like “Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing,” and “We can be heroes in our own lives, every one of us, if we only have the courage to try,” it’s no surprise that many fans walk out of a theater having seen Transformers feeling more inspired than they might have initially anticipated.

So if the Transformers franchise is your favorite, and you’re in the market for some new merch, two major theater chains are offering something just for you. There are special edition popcorn buckets to celebrate the release of Rise of the Beasts, and they’re a must-have for any collectors in the Transformers realm.

So, what are the Transformers popcorn buckets, and where exactly can you get your hands on one? As usual, we’ve got you covered.

What is the Transformers popcorn bucket?

Alongside significant film releases, many theaters will have special edition cups and popcorn buckets to help commemorate the theatrical moment in time. While your local theaters may be offering something special, two major chains are celebrating in a big way. The Transformers franchise has inspired two really awesome popcorn buckets for the latest movie debut, an Optimus Prime Truck and the helmet of the Autobots leader himself.

In addition to holding your popcorn, one of the special buckets is also a drink holder, so if you’re sitting in a theater this weekend and suddenly see your neighbor drinking out of an Optimus Prime semi, don’t think twice about it! In fact, it might just be the next best thing. Move over, bucket and cup combos; why not combine them into one?

If the semi isn’t your style, the Prime collectible tin is also a must-have for anyone who has ever wished to purchase a vehicle and stumble upon an Autobot of their own.

Where can you buy the Transformers popcorn bucket?

You’ll have to visit both chains to get your hands on each bucket, but you can write it off as a great adventure and call it an afternoon. The Optimus Prime semi is available at AMC theaters, while the Autobot helmet can be purchased at your local Cinemark. If you can’t make it to opening weekend, Cinemark also allows fans to buy the Optimus Prime helmet online.

In addition to popcorn buckets and cups, AMC also has several t-shirt options with your favorite Transformers on them, and of course, we fully intend to buy anything with Bumblebee or Optimus Prime on it.

With a killer soundtrack and the introduction of new characters in the realm, you won’t want to miss Transformers: Rise of the Beasts this weekend — and don’t forget to grab your popcorn buckets while you’re there.