Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve and star Timothée Chalamet have revealed their first reactions to the infamous Arrakis sandworm popcorn bucket offered by AMC Theaters.
“I don’t want to make stupid jokes right now that will I regret tomorrow morning,” Villeneuve said in an interview alongside Chalamet with The New York Times promoting the upcoming sequel. “But I will say this. When I saw it, I went, ‘Hoooooly smokes.’ What the [expletive]!? At the same time, it created a lot of fun online. So maybe it’s positive? It’s some kind of . . . impressive design.”
Chalamet added, “I can’t tell if someone is at home right now going, ‘My design worked perfectly and everyone’s talking about it.’ Or if someone’s brutally offended by the response.”
When AMC unveiled the sandworm-themed popcorn bucket design on social media, the internet reaction was intense due to its resemblance to that of a sex toy. Saturday Night Live went so far as to poke fun at the bucket with a parody song involving a teenager wanting to get naughty with it. Additionally, Jimmy Kimmel Live! playfully confronted Dune stars Zendaya, Austin Butler, and Florence Pugh with the bucket during an interview. Pugh reacted to the bucket, exclaiming, “That’s not okay.”
What is Dune: Part Two about?
Based on the classic 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, Dune: Part Two continues the story that began in Villeneuve’s 2021 adaption. The official synopsis reads as follows: “‘Dune: Part Two’ will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.”
Dune: Part Two is scheduled for release in theaters on March 1.
