Gladiator II Is Escalating the Popcorn Bucket Arms Race

No trendy blockbuster is full with its very own popcorn bucket. It’s a pattern that’s been taking place for a number of years however rose to viral ranges when Dune: Part Two released one that, effectively, regarded like a intercourse toy. Since then, the popcorn bucket wars have taken theatergoers on all types of adventures and now the most recent one, for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, is including a complete new ingredient.

Coming solely to Cinemark theaters, the Gladiator II popcorn bucket isn’t only a popcorn bucket formed just like the Roman Colosseum on the heart of the franchise. It additionally has an AR ingredient that means that you can watch an precise battle occur contained in the Colosseum itself… simply hopefully not if you are nonetheless within the theater.

You may watch a bit of instance under from the Gladiator II social media account.

End the popcorn, scan the code, and let the video games start. Expertise your personal augmented actuality gladiator battle with the #GladiatorII Popcorn AR-ENA Bucket. Get yours at @Cinemark opening weekend and get tickets right now. pic.twitter.com/qINBIfJhg2

— Gladiator Film (@GladiatorMovie) October 22, 2024

So the thought right here is you order the Gladiator II popcorn bucket, end the popcorn, then after the film scan the AR code and watch the battle. Which, we’ve to confess, just isn’t a foul concept. It does promote telephone use with one thing you possibly can solely purchase by a movie show, which isn’t nice, however the concept of extending the story out of the theater is an effective one. Plus, when it comes to precise popcorn receptacles, the Colosseum is likely one of the better-shaped buckets but. Plus it’s decidedly asexual, which we are able to’t say about every popcorn bucket released this year.

General although, what the 2024 popcorn bucket wars—with such movies as Dune: Half Two and Deadpool & Wolverine, but additionally Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Terrifier 3, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and others—have completed is given folks one more reason to go to the flicks. Not solely do you get greater screeners and higher sound, however now you will get collectibles too and that’s a sensible add.

One factor which may stand out within the case of Gladiator II although is the subject material. All the opposite movies talked about under had been sci-fi, fantasy, and blockbuster fare. Gladiator II actually has blockbuster potential however it’s rather more of an awards-bait drama than anything. Will audiences who present as much as see Gladiator II care about this popcorn bucket and even its AR evolution? Will they even know what AR is? It simply looks as if an odd pairing of forward-thinking with a secure sequel.

The Gladiator II popcorn bucket will probably be accessible quickly. Preserve an eye fixed on Cinemark’s social media. Gladiator II is in theaters on November 22.

Need extra io9 information? Try when to anticipate the most recent Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and every little thing it is advisable learn about the way forward for Doctor Who.