The curious rise of novelty popcorn buckets (Encore)

The Indicator from Planet Money

NPR

Business

4.7 • 9.5K Ratings

🗓️ 31 December 2024

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Even before the Dune: Part 2 popcorn bucket went viral this year, movie theaters have been trying all types of ways to lure customers back. There's reclining seats, expanded menu options, and even more merchandise. Today on the show, we track the rise of the popcorn bucket and its afterlife on eBay.

This piece originally aired on July 23, 2024.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This week, we are running some of our favorite episodes from 2024.
0:04.0	On today's show, we look at how movie theaters are turning to a unique source for extra income,
0:09.7	the novelty popcorn bucket.
0:12.9	NPR.
0:27.0	There's something unsettling happening at the movie theaters lately.
0:29.4	I have a bad feeling about this.
0:32.1	People aren't going to the movies like they used to.
0:35.9	Box office numbers are way down from their pre-pendemic levels.
0:39.3	Some of the summer's big releases didn't do as well as expected.
0:40.7	I could have been a contender.
0:46.5	On top of that, last year's Hollywood Labor Strikes mean there are fewer movies in the pipeline than normal. Sheriff, this is no time to panic.
0:48.4	This is the perfect time to panic.
0:50.3	These famous film characters are upset.
0:53.2	But out of these dark, uncertain times for Hollywood, a possible hero is emerging.
0:59.0	Something that movie theater chains are hoping will get more dollars flowing into local megaplexes.
1:04.3	This potential savior? A novelty popcorn bucket.
1:08.0	That is right. Maybe you've seen the infamous sandworm bucket that was released for the Dune Part 2 movie this spring.
1:15.9	Saturday Night Live actually did a whole song about it.
1:21.7	This is The Indicator from Planet Money.
1:23.8	I'm Waylon Wong.
1:24.7	And I'm Adrienne Ma.
1:26.4	Movie theaters make most of their money by selling two
	...

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