Fans’ spidey senses are tingling after the release of promotional merchandise for the latest iteration of the franchise.
Ahead of the “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” release on July 31, Cinemark released photos of limited-edition merchandise, including a Spider-Man Combo Container. The popcorn bucket and drink cup features Spider-Man’s iconic hand gesture with his web-shooter coming from the wrist. But some fans think the translucent design looks less like webbing and more like a not-safe-for-work liquid.
“No one actually thought about the cup, I see,” one Instagram user commented on Cinemark’s post.
“What do I know? Never designed a popcorn bucket in my life, but maybe this is the conversation they wanted us to have,” TikTok user Rupert Baxter said in a recent video.
Some of the concerns aren’t even about the container’s design, but its function. Fans took to the Spider-Man subreddit to voice their concerns that the combo container doesn’t look like it will hold much popcorn and that promotional popcorn buckets have become too elaborate for their own good.
“Putting the suggestiveness aside, this looks like a (expletive) popcorn bucket,” one Reddit user said. “It looks like it can fit like three popcorn and looks super awkward to actually hold.”
Another user chimed in: “I’m so tired of these novelty ‘buckets.’ We’ve lost the plot. Almost none of them even resemble popcorn buckets anymore. Just release high-quality merch instead of these plastic dust collectors.”
These days, nearly every blockbuster has at least one over-the-top popcorn bucket that goes viral on social media for its crazy design, selling out instantly online. The hype began in 2024 with the iconic “Dune Part Two” bucket. Designed to look like a sandworm, users have to put their hands through the sandworm’s mouth to reach inside for popcorn. Today, the Dune bucket is listed for anywhere between $40 and $360 on resale sites like eBay.
Cinemark’s merchandise will be available for purchase in theaters soon. As of June 22, a release date for the viral popcorn bucket had yet to be shared. USA TODAY reached out Cinemark for more information.
In addition to the combo container, the Cinemark “Spider Man: Brand New Day” merchandise collection includes a 32-ounce Spider-Man bottle, blanket, popcorn tub with Spider-Man lid and popcorn tin and cup combo, a more traditional pairing with illustrations wrapped around the sides.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
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