AMC Executive Has Regrets Over Viral ‘Dune’ Popcorn Buckets

The hype around Dune: Part Two hitting theaters was through the roof earlier this year, but one part of that excitement had nothing to do with the actors or the film itself. Instead, moviegoers were excited about a promotional tie-in popcorn bucket. 

The buckets, which were designed to resemble the sand worms in the sci-fi Dune universe, quickly became a source of ridicule once they were revealed. Many believed it to resemble a certain human orifice, and some intimated that it could be used as a personal sex toy. Even Saturday Night Live got in on the fun and produced an entire sketch about the popcorn bucket. 

When reflecting on the marketing move in an interview with Variety, AMC’s chief content officer Elizabeth Frank admitted the NSFW comparisons were definitely not expected. “We continue to learn and evolve. We would have never imagined the Dune thing. We would have never created it knowing it would be celebrated or mocked,” she sincerely stated. 

Related: ‘Dune 2’ Novelty Popcorn Bucket Earns Unfavorable Comparison to Human Anatomy

However, despite moviegoers taking something that was supposed to be wholesome and turning it into something sexual, Frank is undeterred in delivering similar products for other movie tie-ins down the road. 

“Some fans are collectors. There’s another group of people who are specific film fans, buying three different Ghostbusters products. It’s all a mix. It’s a material part of our food and beverage business, but it’s not the majority of it,” she explained. “It also makes the movies more fun. It’s like going home from a concert with a T-shirt. There is a lot of creative energy from it.”

Only time will tell if Dune: Messiah will close out the trilogy with another viral theater handout.