Popcorn bucket technology has truly come a long way in the past few years. As movie theaters have tried to find clever ways to get patrons to spend more money, they have cooked up increasingly insane vessels from which to eat buttery popped kernels of goodness. Well, the folks at Cinemark have unveiled the popcorn bucket that will be released in honor of this summer’s Alien: Romulus and it is truly something to behold. Don’t believe me? Have a look-see for yourself.
Coming soon to theatres 👀🍿 #AlienRomulus pic.twitter.com/Tl8pev0jKU
— Cinemark Theatres (@Cinemark) July 17, 2024
So yeah, much to discuss here. As we can see, the popcorn bucket is a full-on Xenomorph head, including the long protruding back of the head. The idea is that the popcorn is loaded in the top and the viewer can put their arm in the bottom of the bucket, allowing it to run up the arm as a wearable snack dispenser of sorts. It’s huge. It’s ridiculous. It’s pretty great. I say this as someone who was fortunate enough to see one of these bad boys in person at CinemaCon in April. It’s truly something to behold.
To think, this movie could have gone directly to Hulu. Instead, we’re getting all of the R-rated, bloody Alien action on the big screen next month. Fede Álvarez (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe) is in the director’s chair for this one. The cast includes Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla), David Jonsson (Murder is Easy), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Spike Fearn (Aftersun) and newcomer Aileen Wu. The synopsis for the film reads as follows:
“While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.”
This is the first entry in the franchise since Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant in 2017. This entry, however, will be taking us elsewhere on the overall timeline. Rather than serving as another prequel to the original sci-fi/horror classic, Romulus is set between the events of Alien and Aliens, and has also been described tonally as an amalgamation of those two films. So get ready to settle in with your big Xenomorph popcorn bucket and head back to space where no one can hear you scream.
Alien: Romulus is set to hit theaters on August 16. For more, be sure to check out the recently released featurette that highlights the film’s practical effects.