Dune 2 “fleshlight” popcorn bucket goes viral

Daisy Phillipson
Still of the Dune 2 popcorn bucket

The popcorn bucket for Dune 2 has gone viral for a rather explicit reason: fans say it resembles a “fleshlight”. There’s something we didn’t have on our 2024 bingo cards.

Originally written by Frank Herbert in 1965, Dune is one of the world’s best-selling sci-fi novels, exploring themes of politics, religion, technology, and ecology on the desert planet of Arrakis. Following various attempts, David Lynch was the first to bring the story to the big screen in 1984.

Lynch’s Dune faced numerous challenges, including the intricate and expansive nature of Herbert’s novel, resulting in a condensed narrative – although the movie has developed a cult following over the years. But it was a different story in 2021, when Denis Villeneuve’s iteration was unleashed to the world. 

Villeneuve’s Dune has been widely praised for its fidelity to the source material, stunning visuals, and meticulous world-building, which is why there’s much anticipation for the upcoming sequel – Dune: Part Two. But for now, let’s put art aside and consider the Dune 2 popcorn bucket, which has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.

Dune 2 “fleshlight” popcorn bucket goes viral

YouTuber Cris Parker first shared an image of the Dune 2 popcorn buckets this week, and it didn’t take long for people to start making jokes, saying it resembles a “fleshlight” – it’s meant to be the carnivorous mouth of a sandworm, FYI. 

“I just want to eat my popcorn not stick my hand in a monster fleshlight,” quipped one on X, while another joked, “Everything reminds me of her.” A third added, “I like my popcorn Saltburny.”

A fourth said, “We’re gonna see this on onlyfans and I’m not excited about it.” And a fifth chimed in, “Lord forgive me for what I’m going to dune 2 this Dune 2 popcorn bucket.”

And then there are the dozens of comments that simply say, “Would.” Frank Herbert is rolling in his grave.

Speaking on his channel about the unusual bucket design, Parker said: “You see what it looks like. As a popcorn bucket collector, I’m always looking forward to what popcorn buckets look like in relation to their movie. And Dune 2 going with a wormussy was not on my list.”

Is the Dune 2 popcorn bucket for sale?

Jokes aside, if you’re interested in getting your hands on one of the Dune 2 popcorn buckets (minds out of the gutter, please), unfortunately there are no official details at the time of writing – but as is often the case, it appears you’ll be able to buy it from your local AMC theater.

Numerous sources have suggested it’s an AMC promotional product, while film critic David Ehrlich quipped: “Another day working at the multiplex. Everyone keeps asking me if they can f*ck the Dune 2 popcorn bucket. Buddy, this is an AMC, of course you can f*ck the popcorn bucket.”

Dune 2 drops in cinemas on March 1, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. We’ll update this space as and when official sale details are revealed.