The Unholy ‘Dune’ Sandworm Popcorn Bucket Has Returned

We’re only about a month and a half out from Dune: Part Three hitting cinemas in December. To mark the climactic conclusion of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic, nearly every major movie theater chain has unveiled new renditions of the infamous wormussy popcorn buckets to herald the beginning of the end. On its official X/Twitter account, AMC unveiled its new Dune sandworm popcorn buckets. Unlike the previous iteration that went viral during the press run for Dune: Part Two, its two new buckets for Dune: Part Three have a bit more going on. First is the Sandworm Thumper Collectible, which, as its name suggests, features a thumper on the lid. The second version of AMC’s aptly titled bucket is the Double Sandworm Collectible, which has two worms poking out of the lid, ready to share with a friend willing to put their hand inside its gaping maw. And for the real freaks out there, AMC also unveiled its Dune collectible cup molded in the shape of Edric, the Guild Navigator (aka that floating coffin thing from the trailers). A real popcorn bucket/cup combo for his and her moviegoing pleasure, AMC has going on here. We listen, we don’t judge. An epic conclusion calls for legendary collectibles. See DUNE: PART THREE and seize control of your collection, including AMC Theatres exclusives on 12/17. Take a sneak peek now. 👀 https://t.co/XIUIke0xaZ pic.twitter.com/h0xjF4WwWS — AMC Theatres (@AMCTheatres) October 29, 2026 “The AMC Sandworm popcorn bucket for Dune: Part Two became a viral phenomenon, and we knew that Dune fans would have high expectations for what came next,” Hank Green, SVP, Food & Beverage, AMC Theatres said in a press release. “From the moment we started planning the Dune: Part Three collectibles, our goal was to exceed those fan expectations. The Sandworm Thumper and Double Sandworm collectibles take the experience to the next level with designs straight from the movie.” Should your loyalties lie outside of the domain of Nicole Kidman and A-listers, fear not: AMC isn’t the only theater with a sandworm popcorn bucket. Cinemark also released a look at its own container. Unlike AMC’s glaring innuendo, Cinemark’s bucket features nifty cave drawings along the sides and a statue of a sandworm thrashing on its lid. First look at our Dune: Part Three Copper Sandworm popcorn bucket COMING SOON to theaters! pic.twitter.com/aYRQemvxyb — Cinemark Theatres (@Cinemark) October 29, 2026 Tapping into Edric’s uncanniness, Regal’s Dune: Part Three popcorn bucket forgoes the whole wormussy of it all and instead features the Spacing Guild Navigator. Alongside the large popcorn bucket, Regal’s collectibles also feature more low-key options, like its transparent Sands of Arrakis cup. It also offers the Collectible Combo, featuring Chani and Paul Atreides. Some things are worth crossing the desert for. 🍿 The Dune: Part Three Spacing Guild Navigator popcorn bucket hits theatres this December, exclusively at Regal.#DuneMovie pic.twitter.com/TICy3Xpunk — Regal (@RegalMovies) October 29, 2026 The cottage industry of movie popcorn buckets has given us plenty of reason to flock to cinemas. Some are nifty collectibles; others are extremely suspect vessels for greedily scooping popcorn and slurping soda. But none have become quite as cursed as the Dune popcorn bucket. Nothing hammers home how the Dune sandworm popcorn bucket jokes practically write themselves like Saturday Night Live dedicating a sketch to them. No matter which Dune sandworm bucket suits your cinematic fancy, chances are they’ll be a hot commodity and sell out quickly once they’re officially up for grabs. As of the time of writing, no theater chain has listed the buckets on its storefronts or with prices. However, based on similar price points from Cinemark’s recent collectible popcorn bucket offerings, they’ll likely run you around $40. To all hoping to cop a sandworm (or a phallic Guild Navigator) bucket, we wish you good fortune before scalpers quadruple its resale price. Dune: Part Three hits cinemas on December 18. Want more io9 news? Check out the best movies and TV shows to stream this month and all the upcoming sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books that should be on your radar.