I Think The New Thunderbolts Popcorn Buckets Are Fine, But This Fan Art Using Bucky's Arm As The Container Would Have Been A+

Fans love celebrating upcoming Marvel movies, and nothing says “celebration” like collectibles. With the upcoming Thunderbolts* hitting the 2025 movie schedule and theaters on May 2, the big chains are rolling out themed popcorn buckets and drink cups to mark the occasion. I think all of the official buckets are all fine, but one piece of fan art just raised the bar in a way that’s hard to unsee.

Posted to the Instagram account of popular digital artist BossLogic, the bucket features a sleek, matte-black base wrapped in a perfectly sculpted version of Bucky Barnes' cybernetic vibranium arm, mid-squeeze, as if the super soldier himself is protecting your popcorn with all the intensity of a Sokovia mission. The post's caption, which you can see embedded below, reads: “Never drop your popcorn again with the help of Winter Soldier.”

It’s not a real popcorn bucket, but, man, oh man, it should be.

Let’s take a look at the official popcorn buckets headed to theaters. Regal Cinemas is offering a collectible combo that features sleek, logo-stamped buckets and cups plastered with the fantastic ensemble cast (think Yelena, Red Guardian, Bucky, and more), plus a set of Thunderbolts-themed Funko Pop figures. It’s flashy and collectible, sure, but nothing that reinvents the wheel.

AMC went all out with a wild popcorn bucket inspired by the Red Guardian. It looks like a beat-up stretch limo, just like the one from that cool arthouse trailer covered in bullet holes. It’s huge, quirky, and it definitely gets points for being creative and on par with many of the crazier popcorn designs of the past. If you want a fun experience, AMC has you covered.

Cinemark is taking a more traditional approach while still staying true to its brand. They are teasing a full lineup of cups and buckets, including a standout Red Guardian helmet-shaped bucket that looks menacing enough to make your buttery snack feel more heroic. Honestly, this is my favorite among the "official" buckets. If I can't have Bucky's arm, I’ll settle for the Red Guardian’s head… although that sounded worse than I intended. Check it out below:

All of the popcorn buckets are fun, but they're not quite as fun as The Winter Soldier’s arm keeping your snacks safe in the theater. Fans packed the comments on Boss Logic’s post with praise, and a lot of them were bummed that the design isn’t part of Marvel’s official promo stuff. One user, @doll.with.a.dagger, commented:

Not gonna lie, so do I. The Bucky Arm bucket feels like it should be in a fancy collectible store or part of the Marvel Studios props, not just sitting at a theater concession stand.

To be clear: the AMC limo is weirdly fun, the Funko cups are cute, and the Red Guardian helmet is a solid novelty. But BossLogic’s creation taps into something else: character-driven design. It feels part of the Marvel Universe, not just slapped onto merch. And given Bucky’s popularity (and the fact that he’s probably going to be a major draw for this movie), it’s a missed opportunity.

We’ll just have to settle for what’s real. But hey, there’s always hope for Thunderbolts* 2. The team of ‘non-hero’ heroes lands in theaters on May 2nd. While you wait, you can revisit all the Marvel movies in order with a Disney+ subscription.