The internet is a wild place, as there's no predicting what will go viral and when. Case in point: back in 2024 Dune 2's popcorn bucket broke the internet, with folks thinking it looked like a sex toy. It quickly went viral, and the discourse got loud enough that it got a digital short on Saturday Night Live (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription). I didn't think there was any way Denis Villeneuve's third book to screen adaptation could top that bucket, but I was so wrong. Let's break it all down.
Dune 2's NSFW bucket helped to make popcorn buckets a popular trend in the film world, with many new releases getting their own collectables. Fans have been curious about what's Part Three would bring to the table, and our questions have finally been answered. AMC Theaters posted the new merch for Dune 3, and the viral popcorn bucket it back with a twist. Check it out for yourself below:
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We are so back, fam. Dune's popcorn has stayed part of pop culture for years, with Timothée Chalamet addressing it while promoting Marty Supreme. The merch for Part Three definitely didn't disappoint. Not only are we getting two more Sandworm-themed buckets, but one of them also includes the thumper device that's used to summon the massive creatures on Arrakis. I truly can't get enough of the footage of the thumper going up and down, which is an awesome new twist on the viral receptacle.
As you can see in the video above, fans of the Dune franchise (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) will get the chance to buy a few new popcorn buckets when the third movie hits theaters this December. In addition to the wild new bucket with a thumper, there's another with two different Sandworm mouths. The latter is the perfect choice for moviegoers who like to split popcorn with their friends. Although I think think the thumper one is top tier, and I have to assume that it'll end up becoming a hot collectible item.
While some folks think that these Dune popcorn buckets resemble sex toys, I have to give them their flowers. So many collectible popcorn buckets don't actually hold all that much popcorn. But the Sandworm ones look like you can actually dump your full order into them, and chomp on some salty snacks in your screening of the forthcoming threequel. Considering the pop culture impact of the last Dune buckets, I'm so glad that we're getting even more for Part Three.
Dune: Part Three will hit theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. All eyes are on what will happen with Dunesday, as Avengers: Doomsday arrives on the same day. We'll see what happens at the box office, but Dune is definitely going to win the popcorn bucket battle.
