Gladiator II Expands the Popcorn Bucket Arms Race
No modern blockbuster is complete without its own popcorn bucket. It’s a trend that’s been around for a few years but it’s gone viral over time Dune: Part Two released one, well, like a sex toy. Since then, popcorn bucket battles have taken theatergoers to all sorts of events and now the latest, Ridley Scott’s. Gladiator II, add a new element.
Coming exclusively to Cinemark theaters, i Gladiator II A bucket of popcorn isn’t just a bucket of popcorn shaped like the Roman Colosseum at the center of the franchise. It also has an AR feature that lets you watch the actual battle unfold inside the Colosseum itself… hopefully not while you’re in the theater.
You can watch a small example below from Gladiator II social media account.
Pop the popcorn, scan the code, and let the games begin. Experience your augmented reality gladiator battle with #GladiatorII Popcorn AR-ENA Bucket. Get yours at @Cinemark opening weekend and get tickets today. pic.twitter.com/qINBIfJhg2
– Gladiator Movie (@GladiatorMovie) October 22, 2024
So the idea here is that he commands Gladiator II popcorn bucket, finish the popcorns, then after the movie scan the AR code and watch the battle. Which, we have to admit, is not a bad idea. It promotes the use of the phone with something you can only buy at the movie theater, which is not good, but the idea of extending the story outside the theater is great. And, in terms of actual popcorn finds, the Colosseum is one of the best-shaped buckets yet. And it’s decidedly asexual, which we can’t say about every bucket of popcorn released this year.
All in all, what are the popcorn bucket wars of 2024 – such films Dune: Part Two again Deadpool and Wolverine, but also Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Terrifier 3, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and others – what they did is give people another reason to go to the movies. Not only do you get bigger screens and better sound, but now you can get collectibles and that’s a smart addition.
One thing that may stand out in the story of Gladiator II although it is a story to be told. All the other films mentioned below were sci-fi, fantasy, and blockbuster fare. Gladiator II it certainly has the potential to be a blockbuster but it’s more of an awards drama than anything else. An audience that will show up to see Gladiator II Do you care about this popcorn bucket or even its AR appearance? Will they even know what AR is? It seems like an odd pairing of forward thinking and safe sequencing.
I Gladiator II A bucket of popcorn will be available soon. Check out Cinemark’s social media. Gladiator II in theaters November 22.
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