In recent years, AMC Theatres has been working hard to convince audiences that themed popcorn buckets are a necessary part of the movie-going experience.
This year, AMC (as well as Cinemark and some other movie theater chains) have really been ramping up their efforts on this front. They’ve tried to tempt us with popcorn buckets and specialty cups for Barbie, Blue Beetle, The Marvels, and more.
These are not limited by genre—there have been themed popcorn buckets and cups for everything from Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour to Saw X. Still, personally, I never felt the desire to spend my money on these concessions containers. Until now.
Alamo Drafthouse has taken the themed concessions merch trend to an entirely new level. Various locations, including New York and LA, have announced that audiences attending screenings of Emerald Fennel’s wickedly dark satirical comedy Saltburn will be treated to a very special cup from which to drink their favorite beverage—whatever that may be.
OK so technically, it doesn’t seem to be branded as a cup but as a “mini tub.” But come on, look at it. We also have the film’s context to take into account.
If you haven’t seen Saltburn yet, spoilers ahead for one of the film’s most gasp-inducing scenes. If you have seen the movie, well, iykyk.
Here’s how TMS’ Britt Hayes broke down the scene:
The first and arguably most crucial of these is the bathtub scene. Oliver spies Felix masturbating in a clawfoot bathtub in their shared bathroom suite. Felix ejaculates and exits the tub, leaving the water to drain as Oliver slinks into the room. He steps into the tub, kneels down, and begins lapping up the remnant mixture of Felix’s bathwater and semen. The second Oliver steps into the tub, I found myself silently rooting for him to do exactly that. It’s the same feeling I had watching Call Me By Your Name, when Elio masturbates—to completion—with a peach. Later, the Oliver of that film finds the peach, glistening with ejaculate, and for a brief, anxious moment, it seems as if he’ll take a bite. He doesn’t. It’s the thematically correct choice for Luca Guadagnino’s film, a story about longing and devastating desire. Though it may seem like it at first, Saltburn is not about desire; it’s about having, consuming, and becoming—so this Oliver licks it right up. You are what you eat, after all.
And here’s what Saltburn star Jacob Elordi had to say about it in a recent interview:
So yes, I would like the tiny plastic Saltburn guzzle cup please. The themed concessions merch trend has officially peaked, sorry AMC.
By the way, Alamo Drafthouse also has a (the?) bathtub on display, giving you the perfect backdrop for enjoying your, ahem, beverage.
(featured image: MGM)
