The Jurassic World Promotional Popcorn Bucket Face-off

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Bucket or Trash It? – Staff Writer Rebecca Alter Evaluates the Latest Popcorn Buckets

In this series, Rebecca Alter, our dedicated staff writer, offers insights into the newest promotional popcorn containers. Catch her comprehensive demonstration on TikTok. To learn about her rating system, continue reading below.

A fierce competition is heating up over the Fourth of July weekend, not for box office dominance, but for the best Jurassic World: Rebirth collectible popcorn bucket. This week’s popcorn bucket review pits Regal against Cinemark in a dino-sized showdown. Which one will earn a standing ovation from Jonathan Bailey on his clarinet, and which will be consigned to the fossil record?

Design

Evaluating the aesthetic appeal of a bucket considering its originality, careful craftsmanship, and likelihood of someone being comfortable reaching in.

Regal’s scientists have been tirelessly experimenting in their lab with groundbreaking ideas about bucket technology. The fruit of their labor is the “Jurassic World: Rebirth Incubator Dual Vessel”. Inside this incubator, bathed in light from battery-powered bulbs, you’ll find a miniature dinosaur embryo nestled comfortably in a test tube. It’s got that unique mix of being both ugly and cute. This isn’t just an innovative design based on the movie; it’s also smartly designed because the incubator’s end doubles as a detachable drink cup. With a simple click, you can attach or remove this cup. This bucket truly is a masterpiece.

Cinemark introduced a popcorn bucket shaped like a T-rex head for the movie “Jurassic World: Rebirth”. Although it’s not as eccentrically ambitious as Regal’s incubator design, it does follow the visual aesthetic of the Jurassic franchise. The bucket features yellow eyes, a toothy grin, and rough, avocado-like skin. However, unlike a real dinosaur, there are no identifying marks or logos, making it hard to distinguish this bucket from other souvenirs. The popcorn slot is located in the back of the T-rex, which seems like an afterthought; integrating the opening into the design would have made it more engaging, such as having her appear to roar and placing the slot there, or giving her tiny arms holding a mini bucket. Despite its detailed texture, the designers could have showcased more creativity and conceptual thinking with this design, especially considering the strong competition.

Regal score: 5 out of 5Cinemark score: 2 out of 5

Functionality

Assessing the functionality and longevity of the movable parts on a bucket, as well as evaluating the simplicity with which one can grab popcorn from it while comfortably seated in a movie theater.

Regal’s popcorn-bucket scientists are so engrossed in contemplating whether they could, that they fail to consider if they should. This bucket is incredibly practical for carrying all your concessions due to the way it snaps shut and latches on the lid. However, when you finally sit down to enjoy the popcorn, problems arise. The reason being, the dinosaur embryo inside has an overpowering and unpleasant smell – it’s hard to pinpoint whether it’s more of a plastic or rubber odor, but either way, it’s so strong that I hesitate to eat anything that has come into contact with it. Additionally, it’s rather difficult to maneuver around inside the incubator to retrieve the popcorn. The embryo is removable, but there’s a risk of losing it, and using it detached somewhat negates the purpose if there’s no dinosaur within.

In the functionality assessment, the bucket from Cinemark performs well, yet it has some drawbacks. The small door where the popcorn is poured in is almost level with the base of the T. rex statue, making the process of filling it from the top and twisting your wrist to push the popcorn up feel awkward. An alternative method is to hold it upside down, but even then, the opening for your hand is quite narrow.

Regal score: 3 out of 5Cinemark score: 2 out of 5

Volume

How much popcorn fits in the bucket?

Each bucket contains about 10 cups of popcorn and pocket change for the Regal container and approximately 14 cups for Cinemark. However, to fully fill them, you need to adjust their positions in ways that might seem unusual.

Regal score: 3 out of 5Cinemark score: 4 out of 5

Value

As a movie enthusiast, I’m evaluating if the novelty, value for money, and collectible worth of this popcorn bucket match up with its cost.

Although it has its flaws, the Regal incubator manages to shine as a fun gadget/trinket. I believe its ideal post-movie existence would be as a novelty lamp in someone’s home. It retails at $49.99, which is quite pricey, but then again, so are most of these incubators, with their average cost consistently above $40. Considering its distinct design, it offers excellent value for money.

As a movie enthusiast, if your little one’s passion lies with dinosaurs and you find yourself with some extra cash to spare, then investing in the $44.95 Cinemark bucket might be worth considering. However, if you’re like me who prefers saving a few bucks, I’d recommend heading over to the Cinemark website instead, where you can get the Nosferatu coffin for just $5 less!

Regal score: 5 out of 5Cinemark score: 1 out of 5

Verdict

Regal final score: 16 out of 20Cinemark final score: 9 out of 20

In summary, when considering various factors, the fetal dinosaur from Regal proves superior to Cinemark’s T. rex due to its brand association with Jurassic World, despite having less popcorn capacity and an unappealing incubator for eating. This is because the incubator serves as a collectible item, offering potential for smaller collectibles inside and even allowing for additional figurines like Labubu to be placed within it. The lack of branding on Cinemark’s T. rex makes it an expensive option for a generic dinosaur.

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2025-07-03 22:54