The ‘Whalefall’ Popcorn Bucket Is Here, and It’s a Sperm Whale With a Diver Inside
Movie theaters have a new way to make money, and it does not involve tickets. Collectible popcorn buckets have gone from a novelty to a full-blown craze, and the ‘Whalefall‘ popcorn bucket is the latest strange design to join the pack.
The trend traces back to 2019, when AMC’s R2-D2 bucket for ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ sold out fast. By 2024, the sandworm bucket for ‘Dune: Part Two’ went viral, and studios and theaters have been competing to make ever more elaborate or absurd containers ever since.
The business has grown into real money. The collectible bucket market has reportedly doubled over the past 3 years to a projected $100 million in 2026, and some buckets cost as much as $70 and sell out in a day. Now 20th Century Studios has joined the race with a design that is as odd as the film’s premise.
Whale, whale, whale…. look at what's swimming soon to Regal 🐋
— Regal (@RegalMovies) September 30, 2026
Get the Whalefall collectible popcorn container, going on sale starting October 15. Tickets for Whalefall are on sale now: https://t.co/EyywMfY2ex
All merch is at select locations, while supplies last. pic.twitter.com/r1JbvhVhnA
Ahead of the film’s October 16 release, a first look at the ‘Whalefall’ bucket has arrived. It takes the form of a sperm whale, with a hinged opening on top for the popcorn and a tiny scuba diver floating near its head.
The promotional image shows the whale overflowing with popcorn beneath the words “Collectible Popcorn Container” and “Comes with a Large Popcorn.” Based on the first photos, the whale runs close to 2 feet long, though capacity has not been announced.
Tickets for ‘Whalefall’ went on sale September 30, and Fandango is already selling a Whalebucket Bundle for $49.99 that pairs one movie ticket with the bucket. Tickets are live on Fandango and at major chains including AMC, Regal and Cinemark.
Regal is offering an early 4DX screening on October 14, and admission includes a complimentary Whalebucket and popcorn while supplies last. Regal says the bucket goes on sale October 15 at select locations, also with a large popcorn.
Other chains have not yet confirmed their ‘Whalefall’ concessions, and AMC, Cinemark, Marcus, Harkins, Alamo Drafthouse, Showcase, Epic and Swan are all still pending.
The 4DX format is a natural match for a movie set inside a whale. Regal describes it as an experience that combines motion and vibrating seats with effects such as water, wind, lighting and scents, all synchronized with the movie.
It also makes the early screening a full event. The whale bucket is the collectible, and the seats do the rest.
What are you going to do? Just accept your fate?#Whalefall arrives only in theaters October 16. pic.twitter.com/gNN4T5eo3R
— 20th Century Studios (@20thcentury) September 10, 2026
The ‘Whalefall’ bucket is the third big theater collectible reveal in the same week, following the Rocky Steps bucket for the ‘Rocky’ 50th anniversary and the Book Stack tin for ‘Sense and Sensibility’.
Four of the 6 highest-grossing movies this year sold collectible buckets, including ‘Toy Story 5’ with a Buzz Lightyear bucket, ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ with a Yoshi bucket and ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ with a red handbag. The Trojan horse from ‘The Odyssey’ has sold on eBay for anywhere from $63.89 to $149.
The ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ tub even set a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest commercially available popcorn container.
AMC’s Nels Storm has said the business effectively did not exist for the company 7 years ago. He does not claim buckets are the reason people go to the movies, but says they have become a big part of the conversation around major releases.
KTLA also noted that a large popcorn costs a theater less than $2 to serve, which helps explain why chains are leaning so hard into the trend.
‘Whalefall’ follows Jay Gardiner, played by Austin Abrams, a scuba diver who goes searching for his late father’s remains and is swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale. With only 60 minutes of oxygen left, he realizes that the lessons his father, played by Josh Brolin, taught him may be the key to escape.
Brian Duffield directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Daniel Kraus, whose 2023 novel inspired the film. Elisabeth Shue, John Ortiz, Jane Levy and Emily Rudd also star, and the film opens nationwide on October 16.
Whether the whale ends up as a coveted collector’s item or a memorable joke, it fits the meme-friendly tone that has followed the film. As with past buckets, the real test will be how quickly it sells out.
What do you think of the Whalefall popcorn bucket?
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