Cars 20th Anniversary Popcorn Buckets and Cup Are Rolling Into Theaters September 7
New Cars 20th anniversary popcorn buckets and cup landing in theaters September 7, plus pricing estimates and a possible third item.
Twenty years after Lightning McQueen first took a wrong turn into Radiator Springs, he’s headed back to the big screen. However, this time he’s bringing snacks. New images have surfaced of the popcorn bucket lineup theater chains are preparing for Cars’ 20th anniversary re-release, which hits theaters September 7. It’s the first real look at how the theatrical side of this anniversary is being merchandised, and if you’ve been eyeing a shelf spot next to your Toy Story 30th tin, you’re going to want to keep reading.
What’s in the Cars 20th Anniversary Popcorn Buckets Lineup
Two items lead the pack. The first is a standalone Lightning McQueen bucket shaped like the character himself, with his roof popping open to hold your popcorn. If you caught the light-up version Disney Parks released at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort back in June, this will look familiar. It’s essentially the same sculpt, just without the shoulder strap and, presumably, without the light-up gimmick that made the parks version such a hot item.
The second piece is where things get interesting: a black-topped red metal tin topped with figures of both Lightning McQueen and Mater, paired with a matching cup carrying the same two toppers. Both the tin and the cup are branded with a “Disney Pixar Cars 20 Years” logo, according to the images.
That tin-and-cup combo should feel very familiar to anyone who collected during last year’s Toy Story 30th anniversary re-release, which used the same basic tin-plus-cup pairing with character toppers on the lid. That release sold briskly once it hit theaters, and given how well McQueen and Mater work as a duo, expect a similar rush here.
Cars 20th Anniversary Popcorn Buckets: Pricing, Availability, and a Possible Third Item
Official pricing hasn’t been announced yet. Based on comparable theater releases, expect somewhere in the $25-$35 range, depending on the item and the chain. It also looks like these items are being positioned for a wide rollout across most major theater chains rather than at a single exclusive retailer, though the specific chains participating haven’t been named. We would expect all the usual bug players like AMC and Regal.
There are also early signs of a third item tied to the Piston Cup that could round out the lineup, which would put this release closer in scope to what collectors pieced together across chains for Toy Story’s anniversary. That would also match what was first reported back in June, when a Piston Cup exclusive item was floated as a possible chain-specific add-on alongside the bucket and tin.
Why This Anniversary is a Bigger Deal Than It Sounds
Cars originally opened on June 9, 2006, directed by John Lasseter, and it’s aged into one of Pixar’s most enduring franchises. For example, Radiator Springs Racers is still a genuine highlight at Disney California Adventure two decades later. Pixar marked the actual anniversary date back in June with an anniversary video and a wave of Disney Store merchandise, including a Radiator Springs Spirit Jersey, and that same day the parks-exclusive Lightning McQueen popcorn bucket launched at Walt Disney World and Disneyland…where it promptly sold out at Disney’s Hollywood Studios within the first few hours, with periodic restocks since. So if these theater Cars 20th anniversary popcorn buckets move anywhere near that fast, get your plan together now rather than hoping to grab one on your way into the 7:15 p.m. showing at your local theatre. We do not think they will last long.
For more theme park-related news and information, visit MSM News. As always, eat like you mean it!
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