Top Ten Movie Popcorn Buckets of 2024

While novelty popcorn buckets have been around for quite a few years, there is no doubt that 2024 is the year that the Popcorn Bucket Wars truly heated up! The standard promotional popcorn bucket of the past was either a paper one with a movie’s promotional art on it or occasionally a tin one with promotional art wrapped around it.

Over the last three or four years, the art of popcorn bucket designs has made significant leaps. From a D20-shaped Popcorn Bucket for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves to Dom’s Car in The Fast & The Furious series, there are plenty that laid the ground for this year. Without further ado, let’s look back at the year and find the Top Ten Movie Popcorn Buckets of 2024!

10: Wicked’s Lantern Popcorn Bucket (Regal)

By far one of the simplest designs of these popcorn buckets, this one from Wicked is still worthy to be on this list. The overall Ozian design is quite remarkable, the images of Galinda and Elphaba complement the film, and the lights within give it that extra bit of pop. It will be very interesting to see how Wicked Part Two complements this one.

9: Borderlands CLAPTRAP Popcorn Bucket (AMC)

While the film was not good and left much to be desired, the CLAPTRAP Popcorn Bucket almost makes up for the time I spent watching the film. Looking exactly like the clumsy robot, this bucket proves a bit unusual to sit in your lap due to the platform that it is mounted on, it is better than if they just had his singular wheel on the bottom. The light-up eye does help to bring him to life and serves as a simple flashlight should you lose anything in the dark.

8: Despicable Me 4’s Baby Carrier Popcorn Bucket (AMC)

This is the first popcorn bucket that I can think of that serves as both a receptacle for popcorn and a fashion statement. An homage to the newest member of the Gru Family, this bucket has straps so that any expecting fathers or mothers can get some early training while also enjoying a tasty snack. If you have children already, this is bound to get either a few laughs or some rolling eyes.

7: Nosferatu Sarcophagus Popcorn Bucket (AMC + Regal)

Nosferatu may be stuck in one of these with rats and maggots, but luckily for you, these sarcophagus buckets are clean and perfect to eat delicious popcorn out of. While there aren’t any bells or whistles on this one, this bucket is perfect for enjoying what may be one of the best horror films from this year. The additional bonus for this bucket is that it can be used for almost any horror film involving the occult or ancient European monsters.

6: Ghostbusters Frozen Empire Ghost Trap Popcorn Bucket (AMC + Regal)

The perfect trap for ghosts was turned into the perfect container for popcorn with the Ghost Trap Popcorn Bucket. While there were two different designs, one at Regal and the other at AMC, both proved to get the job done! The Regal design does seem to have a look closer to the films, the AMC design has these panels that you can attach to it to capture more popcorn. Poppin’ makes me feel good!

5: Alien: Romulus Xenomorph Head Popcorn Bucket (Cinemark)

I am not a big fan of films with body horror, I can say that I nearly went to see Alien: Romulus solely for the popcorn bucket. The one at Cinemark was perfect in capturing the look of the Xenomorphs and had the perfect hatch for accessing popcorn. There are bound to be more Alien films in the future, but I cannot imagine how any of them will top this design.

4: The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim Warhammer Popcorn Bucket (AMC + Regal)

Of all the popcorn buckets that came out this year, this is the one that caused my friend to instantly buy a ticket. A 26-inch bucket in the design of a Warhammer is a truly fascinating way of getting butts in seats for War of the Rohirrim. Walking into the theater with this is sure to turn heads, as long as you don’t bonk into any of them on the way to your seat!

3: Gladiator 2 Colosseum Popcorn Bucket (Cinemark)

Of all the popcorn buckets that have bells and whistles, this one takes the cake by bringing Augmented Reality into the arena. There is a QR code at the bottom of the popcorn bucket that when triggered with your phone will play a gladiator match within it. Beyond this, having the bucket designed to look like the Colosseum of Rome is truly the perfect vessel for a Gladiator.

2: Dune Part 2 Sandworm Popcorn Bucket (AMC)

The one that fired up the Popcorn Wars, the Sandworm Popcorn Bucket spawned plenty of memes for its unusual design. Modeled after the Sandworms that live on Arrakis, this popcorn design would later be somewhat replicated in the next popcorn bucket. The next Dune movie is quite a few years away, so marketers will have some time to figure out how they can top this.

1: Deadpool & Wolverine “Designed by Deadpool” Popcorn Bucket (AMC)

If there was to ever be a time that Hugh Jackman regretted doing the Deadpool & Wolverine film, the reveal of this popcorn bucket might have been the time. Reminiscent of the look and memes that came with the Dune Part 2 popcorn bucket, this one featured a lid where Wolverine’s mouth is wide open for you to stick your hands in for buttery popcorn. This is the naughtiest popcorn bucket ever made as of now. For those who are curious, the tongue is textured.

Those are the top ten movie popcorn buckets of 2024. Which of these stole your heart and wallet? Which 2025 film will have the best popcorn bucket? Let us know in the comments below.