‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ Popcorn Buckets Have Arrived, and One of Them Lights Up

Movie theater popcorn buckets have officially become their own subgenre of collector’s item, with AMC first kicking off the trend back in 2019 and chains steadily one-upping each other with increasingly elaborate designs ever since. From Galactus’s towering nine-liter bucket to a slew of anniversary rereleases this year alone, the novelty container arms race shows no signs of slowing down.

That trend is now colliding directly with one of Marvel’s biggest nostalgia plays of the year. Disney’s decision to bring ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ back to theaters wasn’t just about reliving a fan-favorite ending, it’s also part of a calculated rollout designed to introduce a brand-new premium theatrical format ahead of December’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’

With tickets now on sale for ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore,’ the concession collectibles lineup tied to the September 25 rerelease has officially arrived, led by a light-up Iron Man helmet bucket, a Nano-Gauntlet popcorn container, and an Arc Reactor tin. The Iron Man helmet bucket is a full-size design with LED lights built into the eyes that project “I Love You 3000” onto nearby surfaces, a direct callback to Tony Stark’s final scene with his daughter Morgan. The Nano-Gauntlet container, meanwhile, is a red Tony Stark-style gauntlet modeled after the film’s climactic snap, standing sixteen inches tall.

Pricing for the buckets hasn’t been officially confirmed by AMC or other participating chains yet, though estimates based on similar large-format buckets suggest they could run anywhere from $60 to $80. Tickets themselves are already available through Fandango and directly via participating theater chains, with Fandango also offering its own limited-edition popcorn bucket bundle tied to the ticket on-sale.

The collectibles rollout arrives alongside a rerelease that’s doing more heavy lifting than a typical anniversary screening. ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ brings back the 2019 blockbuster with a custom new introduction, additional footage, and a special end tag, pushing the total runtime to roughly three hours and five minutes. That new material, which bridges the gap between ‘Endgame’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ is exclusive to IMAX and the newly introduced Infinity Vision format rather than standard theatrical screenings.

Infinity Vision itself is a concept Marvel developed specifically because it lost access to IMAX screens for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’s’ December opening, since IMAX committed its screens exclusively to Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Part Three’ for that same release window. The format certifies that participating theaters meet Disney’s technical standards, including the largest available screens, laser projection, and premium immersive audio, giving Marvel a way to guarantee a consistent big-screen experience without relying on IMAX itself.

Using ‘Endgame Encore’ to introduce Infinity Vision now gives audiences a low-stakes opportunity to get familiar with the new format months ahead of ‘Doomsday’s’ actual release. It’s a strategy that mirrors a broader trend this year of rereleases doubling as marketing vehicles, following similar popcorn bucket rollouts tied to ‘The Transformers: The Movie’s’ 40th anniversary and Pixar’s ‘Cars’ 20th anniversary celebration.

Given how quickly past Marvel-themed buckets have become resale hotspots, with previous ‘Endgame’ and ‘Fantastic Four’ buckets already fetching $75 or more on secondary markets, this new wave of collectibles seems destined for similarly high demand once they hit theater counters.

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