Two of the biggest trends in theatrical film distribution right now are popcorn buckets and re-releases of previously successful films. It’s not exactly surprising that both of those things have come together this week. All three Lord of the Rings movies have been re-released in theaters this weekend, and along with them comes a brand new popcorn bucket, one that I actually kind of want to own.
Popcorn buckets have become quite popular at movie theaters, but they’re all getting insanely elaborate. So many of them now have moving parts or other details to help make them look cool. The thing is, most of them aren’t actually that great at their main job of holding popcorn. The Lord of the Rings bucket can at least do that, as it is an actual bucket and not a science experiment.
Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of the journey with this THE LORD OF THE RINGS Middle-earth Collectible Map Tin with Quest Magnet Set. At select locations starting 1/15. Large popcorn included. pic.twitter.com/AVDBuNTc2YJanuary 14, 2026
The bucket available in AMC Theaters today is a map of Middle-earth wrapped around a standard large popcorn bucket. Simple, easy, and if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, then having something that maps out the locations of the trilogy is pretty cool. The original map, printed with the books, is as iconic as the books themselves and the films that followed them.
It isn’t just a popcorn bucket, of course. It comes with four magnets that you can use to mark key locations on your popcorn bucket. Of course, after the movie, you can also use them as magnets on your refrigerator or wherever else you need magnets, which makes them more functional than most of the popcorn buckets we’ve seen.
As somebody who spends a lot of time in movie theaters and a lot of time at theme parks, I know more about popcorn buckets than most people. While I have a few, and really like some of the designs, many of them end up being difficult to eat popcorn from and end up being nothing but shelf ornaments that collect dust once the popcorn is eaten.
For instance, Mission: Impossible popcorn bucket that needs to be unlocked is a cool gimmick, but I'm not sure how useful it actually is.
This bucket is the sort of thing that remains functional as a popcorn bucket, or a container of any sort, but would also look nice on a shelf, especially if you’re the sort with other Lord of the Rings-themed gear in your house.
With another Lord of the Rings movie on the horizon, The Hunt For Gollum, I can only hope that this is a preview of the sort of popcorn bucket we will eventually get for that film. Unless the popcorn bucket craze completely dies in the next couple of years, we’re guaranteed to get one for that film, and I just hope it doesn’t look like Gollum’s skull with a hole in the top. Something like this would be much preferable.
