With exceptional performances and impressive world-building, the ‘Dune’ franchise quickly became one of the most celebrated sci-fi films of recent times. While the space opera earned its spot in fans’ hearts through its merits alone, the marketing team had a different plan in mind—and thus, the viral Dune popcorn bucket craze was born. Intended as promotional material at AMC theaters in the United States, the popcorn bucket was modeled after the mouth of the Sandworm monster from the hit franchise

However, instead of being a fun addition to the film’s marketing, the viral popcorn bucket quickly became the elephant in the room. During the promotional events for ‘Dune: Part Two’, it stole the spotlight, much to the dismay of even its stars, Zendaya and Florence Pugh. Both actresses weren’t shy about sharing their honest opinions on the controversial design. For the unversed, while promoting ‘Dune: Part Two’ on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in February 2024, Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh were introduced to the viral popcorn bucket. The cast’s reactions quickly made headlines.
Butler admitted, “This is the first time we’re seeing this,” according to FandomWire. Zendaya refused to reach inside, while Chalamet tried but struggled with the bucket’s impractical design. Even Kimmel couldn’t help but joke about its functionality. However, Pugh perfectly summed up the mood, exclaiming, “Who made that? That’s not okay. That’s wrong. It looks so wrong.” Kimmel further jokingly pointed out that the ‘Dune’ popcorn bucket was so sturdy it could “serve as furniture” in their apartments. As Pugh eyed the bucket for a closer look, she hesitated when Zendaya handed it to her, clearly repelled by it. Zendaya noted that the bucket was “undeniably intimidating,” capturing the cast’s awkward reactions perfectly. The clip wrapped up with the rest of the stars inspecting the strange souvenir.

At the time, netizens were equally unimpressed with the popcorn bucket, sharing their opinions on X. One said, “I freaking hate it so much I saw it at the theater the other day, and my only thought was, “Omg, it’s actually real!” Another said, “That just looks painful and creepy.” In a similar vein, a comment read, “It looks like the fleshlight they sell on bad dragon.” Another X user said, “It freaks me out. Would anyone order popcorn just to use the bucket?” Taking a jibe at the creator of the bucket, another shared, “I know whoever designed that abomination is kicking themselves rn.” Another stated, “Since it’s his film, I wonder who Actually has the official authority to make the design, make prints and distribute these buckets lol.” Another simply said, “Yeah it looks like a Mega Fleshlight.”

While the viral popcorn bucket dominated the spotlight, the fan frenzy went beyond the movie itself. A TikTok user, cragalag20, took the bucket’s worm-like design and turned it into a Halloween costume, as reported by ScreenRant. The costume featured pipe cleaner “antennae” attached to a larger structure, with the cosplayer’s face poking through the worm’s center. The bottom of the costume also paid homage to Dune, highlighting its unique inspiration.