Movie doesn’t start at showtime anymore. AMC officially warns it kicks off 25 to 30 minutes after what’s printed on the ticket. That delay is filled with ads and trailers. Not one or two. Stacks of them. The shift follows a new deal with National CineMedia. Their ad blocks run after the listed time.
The merchandising is getting louder. AMC’s Galactus popcorn bucket costs $80. It’s shaped like Marvel’s cosmic villain. Eyes light up. Holds 361 ounces. That’s two gallons of popcorn. It’s linked to The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Launches July 25. Already selling out online.
Regal built a bucket that looks like the Fantasticar. Cinemark’s version has Mr. Fantastic stretching around a 130-ounce pail. Alamo Drafthouse skipped figures and went with retro pint glasses. That’s the arms race. These aren’t buckets. They’re revenue units.
AMC closed 169 theaters since 2019. Q1 2025 earnings were the worst since 1996 outside pandemic years. That’s the backdrop. The ads and buckets aren’t fluff. They’re a plug. The business model isn’t built on ticket sales anymore.
Scalpers list the Galactus bucket for $150. It comes with one free refill. But it’s not really about popcorn. It’s about monetizing presence. Theaters are selling access, placement, and plastic. The movie’s not the product. The time is.
Sources
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/amc-movie-theater-more-ads-b2780633.html
https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/6/25/amc
https://nerdist.com/article/fantastic-four-first-steps-popcorn-buckets-galactus-head-herbie-robot/
https://kotaku.com/fantastic-four-galactus-popcorn-bucket-big-80-price-1851784215