AMC Kinda Regrets Making ‘Dune’ Popcorn Buckets Thanks To All You Pervs
Foreground image via AMC Theaters, background generated on AI
The monstrous maw of marketing took an unexpected turn with AMC Theatres’ Dune: Part Two popcorn bucket. Meant to be shaped like the film’s colossal sandworms, these ‘Shai-Hulud’ vessels, instead, drew a sandstorm of NSFW comparisons.
The cups feature a wide, gaping mouth filled with rows of plastic teeth. Moviegoers accessed their popcorn by reaching into this worm-like mouth, creating a unique and, for some, unsettling, movie theater experience.
Some ideas just don’t translate as intended, however. This seemingly innocuous vessel ignited a frenzy of fascination, desire, and yes, even a touch of scandal. With that, the sandworm-shaped bucket—which earned the moniker of “wormussy” due to its Fleshlight-like appearance—slithered into our collective consciousness. It inspired memes, SNL skits, and even commentary from the film’s cast and crew. But did AMC anticipate this bizarre phenomenon?
He who controls the wormussy controls the universe https://t.co/P8VGZ6GXub
— Sydney🚀 (@CountVolpe) January 26, 2024
In a recent interview with Variety, AMC’s chief content officer, Elizabeth Frank, admitted the theater chain “never imagined” the bucket’s outlandish design would cause such an uproar, adding that the company would have never made the collector’s item “knowing it would be celebrated or mocked.”
While the “wormussy” jokes were plentiful, AMC isn’t necessarily taking a hard turn toward the outlandish. Frank emphasizes that the popcorn buckets are a fun element, but not the core of their business. “It’s all a mix,” she says, acknowledging the appeal to collectors and movie fans.
[via Gizmodo, Variety, Gamespot, images via various sources]
