Novelty Popcorn Buckets: How Movie Theaters Are Boosting Concession Sales

Movie theater chains are increasingly relying on elaborate novelty popcorn buckets to drive concession spending and encourage audiences to return to cinemas. This shift toward collectible concession vessels is part of a broader strategy to eventize the theatrical experience, turning a standard movie outing into a merchandise-driven event.

The financial impact of this trend is significant for major exhibitors. AMC Entertainment reported generating approximately $65 million in revenue in 2024 from the sale of novelty popcorn buckets, T-shirts, and drink sippers.

The Catalyst for Collectible Concessions

While cinemas began adopting specialty buckets in 2019, the current boom was sparked by specific high-profile releases. AMC CEO Adam Aron identified the October 11, 2023, world premiere of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour as a pivotal moment that led the company to offer these items more frequently.

It started with us in a big way with our own movie, ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,’ that we released in October of 2023 and we sold just an incredible number of popcorn buckets. That sparked us to do it almost all the time … just literally every month.

Adam Aron, CEO of AMC

Following the success of the concert film, the release of Dune: Part Two further accelerated the trend, fueling a new era of specialty containers. Other major chains, including Regal, Cinemark, Marcus, and B&B Theatres, have since embraced the strategy to create a sense of urgency for opening weekend attendance.

High-Value Novelty Designs

The complexity and price points of these buckets have risen as theaters target millennial nostalgia and collectors. Recent releases for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie featured a variety of themed options:

• A $50 plastic Yoshi figure holding a hollow, polka-dotted egg.
• $45 star-shaped Luma buckets that include lighting features and come in multiple colors.
• $8 mini Bowser cauldrons, which set a world record for the smallest popcorn container by holding between five and 11 kernels.

The trend has continued with other franchises, including a record-breaking $80 popcorn bucket released for Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Industry Strategy and Historical Context

Theater executives view these items as a tool to combat the decline in moviegoing habits following the Covid-19 pandemic. The goal is to add perceived value to the ticket price and make the cinema visit feel like a special event.

Post-Covid, we realized that the eventizing of cinema has never really been as important as it is now. We recognized during that time that the greatest casualty for our industry was people just fell out of the habit of going to movies.

Paul Farnsworth, executive director of communication and content at B&B Theatres

The concept of the souvenir container is not new, though the scale has evolved. Disney began selling basic souvenir popcorn pails in the 1990s and later introduced a 3D Mickey Mouse container in 2010. However, the current market has expanded beyond theme parks and into general cinema exhibition, with some buckets now being treated as display pieces rather than functional food containers.