Gladiator II is escalating the Popcorn Bucket Arms Race
No blockbuster of the modern era is complete without its own popcorn bucket. The popcorn bucket wars have been a popular trend for several years, but it reached viral status when Dune: Part Two released a bucket that looked like a toy. Since then, the popcorn bucket wars have taken theatergoers on all types of adventures and now the latest one, for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, is adding a whole new element.
Coming exclusively to Cinemark theaters, the Gladiator II popcorn bucket isn’t just a popcorn bucket shaped like the Roman Colosseum at the center of the franchise. It also has an AR element that allows you to watch an actual battle happen inside the Colosseum itself… just hopefully not while you are still in the theater.
You can watch a little example below from the Gladiator II social media account.
Finish the popcorn, scan the code, and let the games begin. Enjoy your own augmented-reality gladiator fight with the #GladiatorII Popcorn AENA Bucket. Purchase your tickets and receive one at the @Cinemark’s opening weekend. pic.twitter.com/qINBIfJhg2
— Gladiator Movie (@GladiatorMovie) October 22, 2024
So the idea here is you order the Gladiator II popcorn bucket, finish the popcorn, then after the movie scan the AR code and watch the battle. We have to admit that this is a good idea. The idea to extend the story outside of the movie theater is good. It promotes phone usage with something that can only be purchased through a theater. The Colosseum bucket is also one of the best-looking ones yet. The 2024 popcorn wars have given audiences another reason to visit the cinema. You can now get collectibles in addition to bigger screens and better sound. This is a great feature. The other films listed below are all blockbusters, sci-fi and fantasy. Gladiator II has blockbuster potential, but it is more of a drama that will win awards than anything else. Will Gladiator II audiences care about the popcorn bucket, or its evolution into AR? Will they know what AR is at all? It seems odd to pair a forward-thinking film with a sequel that is more safe. Cinemark has a social media account. Want more io9 News? Find out what the next DC Universe film or TV release will be, as well as when the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases are due.
