The popcorn bucket craze has officially entered a new level of movie nerd insanity. Over the last few years, theaters have turned concession collectibles into an event all their own.
We’ve seen giant sandworms, bizarre creature-shaped containers, and all kinds of oversized movie-themed snack holders. But with The Odyssey, IMAX has taken a route that feels specifically designed for film geeks.
Instead of creating a bucket shaped like a monster, a character, or a mythical creature from the movie, IMAX made a popcorn bucket modeled after the actual camera used to shoot Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic.
Yes, the collectible is an IMAX camera.
Considering how much attention has been focused on the filmmaking technology behind The Odyssey, it actually makes perfect sense.
Along with starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and what feels like half of Hollywood, one of the biggest selling points of Nolan’s latest film is the IMAX format itself.
As most movie fans know by now, The Odyssey is the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras. After years of development and technical hurdles, IMAX finally created a camera system that allowed Nolan to use the format throughout the entire production without the limitations that previously made that impossible.
So in a strange way, IMAX has become one of the stars of the movie. That’s why this collectible feels so perfectly ridiculous.
The official IMAX description reads: “Lights…camera…popcorn! No moviegoing experience is complete without every cinephile’s favorite snack.
“Now you can crunch in style with this limited-edition popcorn bucket inspired by the legendary IMAX 15/65mm Camera, the very camera Christopher Nolan has called ‘the Gold Standard’ and used on films such as The Dark Knight, Interstellar, and The Odyssey.
“A tribute to IMAX’s groundbreaking film technology and the craft of filmmaking, this collectible bucket features a viewfinder that lights up to reveal a scene from Christopher Nolan’s latest epic in IMAX’s exclusive 1.43:1 Expanded Aspect Ratio.”
This isn’t just a camera-shaped bucket. The viewfinder actually lights up and displays footage from The Odyssey in IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio. That’s a level of movie-geek dedication that’s hard not to appreciate.
Of course, there’s one catch. IMAX also noted that “quantities are limited,” and movie fans wasted absolutely no time grabbing them. The bucket went on presale alongside IMAX tickets for The Odyssey and quickly sold out.
That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone forever. Some local IMAX locations could still receive inventory, and there’s always the possibility of a restock. Plus, with a story that features Trojan Horses, Cyclopes, and all kinds of legendary mythology, it wouldn’t be surprising if more traditional themed buckets arrive in the weeks ahead.
Still, when it comes to niche movie collectibles, this thing is in a category of its own. Forget swords, monsters, and giant creatures. A popcorn bucket modeled after the exact IMAX camera used to shoot Christopher Nolan’s movie might be the most wonderfully nerdy concession item we’ve seen yet.
The Odyssey sails into theaters on July 17, and premium format tickets are on sale now.
