The SpongeBob popcorn bucket is coming soon for the new SpongeBob SquarePants movie, featuring themed designs. Where to buy it, and details for collectors.
(UPDATE Nov. 24, 2025: We have more information about what SpongeBob SquarePants fans can expect.)
Theaters are about to get a little more nautical. Early photos and retailer listings point to an official SpongeBob SquarePants movie popcorn bucket. This collectible tie-in rolls out with The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, slated for a December 19, 2025, release. Fans and collectors have already started spotting pirate-themed bucket designs, ship-shaped containers, and Patrick-shaped buckets in social feeds and merch roundups.
What to Expect
Movie merch hunters should be on the lookout for several variations: a pirate SpongeBob ship bucket, a Patrick Star popcorn bucket, a treasure-chest style bucket, and standard themed tins. Also, there should be matching sippers and novelty items. Early community leaks and fandom sites indicate chains like Regal, AMC, and Cinemark will carry at least some of the offerings when tickets and theater merch formally go on sale.
Where (and When) You’ll Find Them
Major theater chains haven’t posted complete merch guides yet. However, fan sites and theater gear shops have already collected images and pre-release info. Some non-theater retailers (and maybe soon, Universal Orlando Resort stores) are also selling SpongeBob tins and pineapple bucket playsets that echo the movie’s branding. Collectors may find both official theater buckets and wider retail variants. Expect theater-specific buckets to appear near ticket launches and premiere events in mid-to-late December.
SpongeBob Popcorn Bucket Price Expectations and Collectibility
Based on recent collectible bucket trends and community-sourced reports, standard buckets usually range from about $15–$25 at the box office, with premium or limited editions sometimes pushing higher or appearing as pre-order exclusives from sites like Fandango Fan Shop or specialty merch groups. Independent programs and bulk orders for premium buckets have been floated by theater alliances, which suggests a higher-tier collectible could appear for the movie’s launch. Additionally, if history is any guide, the most intricate designs (light-up pieces, multi-part ship buckets, or bundles with tickets) will move fastest among collectors.
Prices
According to Fantasy Land News, SpongeBob fans should expect pricing and options such as this:
- Standard Popcorn Bucket: A traditional, blue popcorn bucket tin featuring the movie’s logo and a graphic of SpongeBob SquarePants dressed in pirate gear, wielding an oar. Expected price is $14.00
- Treasure Chest Popcorn Bucket: A detailed, rectangular popcorn container shaped like a wooden treasure chest. The lid is open, revealing the popcorn inside. The sides of the chest are decorated with images of SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, and other characters. Expected Price is $39.99 and comes with a large popcorn
- Pirate Ship Popcorn Bucket: A popcorn bucket where SpongeBob, in full pirate attire, stands in a small, white, and red-hulled pirate boat, which serves as the container for the popcorn. Expected Price is $35-$45 and comes with a large popcorn
- Square-Shaped SpongeBob Sipper: A smaller, square-shaped drink container featuring a simpler, stylised depiction of SpongeBob’s head, each topped with a black pirate hat and skull-and-crossbones emblem. The expected price $29.99 should come with a large drink.
- Sipper Cup: A tall, green sipper cup or tumbler. It also features SpongeBob in his pirate outfit, with a green straw. Expected to be priced at $24.99. It also should come with a large drink, depending on the size.
Both Cinemark and Regal have now acknowledged that movie merch is on the way. Cinemark posted a teaser on social media showing SpongeBob-themed branding and noting that collectibles are on the way . Regal also signaled that merch announcements for upcoming films—including SpongeBob—are part of their holiday lineup.
SpongeBob Popcorn Bucket: Tips for Snagging One
- Follow theater chain accounts (Regal, AMC, Cinemark) and the Fandango Fan Shop. Also, most theater buckets are announced with ticket drops or shortly after.
- If you must have a specific design, set alerts on major merch retailers (including specialty stores and theme-park shops) — some pineapple and tin variants show up outside theaters.
Collector Verdict: Should You Care?
Suppose you collect movie merch or just want a fun, reusable souvenir for family movie nights. In that case, the SpongeBob popcorn buckets look like another playful entry in the year’s blockbuster merch lineup. For serious collectors, prioritize early announcements and official pre-orders; for casual fans, theater runs and pop-up events (some locations are planning special activations) should provide ample chances to pick one up.
SpongeBob Popcorn Bucket
- What: SpongeBob SquarePants movie popcorn bucket collection (pirate SpongeBob ship, Patrick bucket, treasure chest, tins, sippers).
- When: Around the film’s release window — The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants on December 19, 2025 — expect merch announcements to ramp up in late November / early December.
- Where: Theater chains (Regal, AMC, Cinemark likely), Fandango Fan Shop, specialty retailers and some theme-park / store listings.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
The fourth theatrical film in the series, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, is slated for release on December 19, 2025.
The animated adventure follows SpongeBob on a daring quest into the deepest depths of the ocean. Desperate to prove his courage and become a “big guy” to Mr. Krabs, he sets out to follow the notorious swashbuckling ghost pirate, The Flying Dutchman.
The film features the returning main voice cast, with Star Wars legend Mark Hamill taking over the role of The Flying Dutchman. Additionally, new additions to the cast include stars like Regina Hall, George Lopez, and Ice Spice, promising a high-stakes, comedic, and deep-sea journey for all of Bikini Bottom’s fans.
For more theme park-related news and information, visit MSM News.
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