Is the Wicked Music-Box Popcorn Bucket a For Good Purchase?

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Rebecca Alter’s series, “Bucket or Chuck It?”, reviews new movie popcorn buckets. You can see her detailed review on TikTok, and find a summary of her rating below.

A playful nod to a famous lyric, “Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?” welcomes the release of Wicked, the highly anticipated sequel. Along with the movie, theaters are offering special promotional popcorn buckets. Staying true to the Wicked brand, there are several options, but Regal’s Wicked: For Good bucket is generating the most buzz. It’s a first for movie snacks – it actually plays music! The big question is whether this addition will enhance the moviegoing experience or be a regrettable step too far.

Design

We evaluated the bucket’s design based on its creativity and how carefully it was made, and also considered how comfortable someone would be reaching inside.

In my line of work, I see a lot of elaborate containers, so I really like how simple and cleverly designed this one is. While it’s made of plastic, it’s decorated with details inspired by the movie: tiaras and flowers for Glinda, witch hats and leaves for Elphaba, and an “Oz” emblem on the back. Instead of the typical pink and green, it’s a teal and purple – a color combination that reminds me of classic 90s Disney princess items. Pink and green do appear in smaller details like Glinda’s wand and Elphaba’s broom on the lid, and a combined ‘G’ and ‘E’ monogram on the front, which feels like a nod to fans who ship the two characters. I also appreciate that it has little feet, lifting it slightly off the surface.

Open the lid and you’ll find a music box with a tiny mirror and little figures of Glinda and Elphaba – they even have adorably poorly-painted smiley faces! Turn the crank on the back and the figures spin as the music box plays a haunting, slowed-down version of the song “For Good.” Given that Wicked: For Good is a musical about the Wizard and his whimsical creations, a music-box container feels perfectly fitting. It’s so inviting, I just want to reach inside – it feels like a little treasure chest holding my friends, Glinda and Elphaba.

Score: 5 out of 5

Functionality

We checked how well the seat’s moving parts worked over time and how simple it was for people to reach their popcorn while sitting down.

As Stephen Schwartz wrote in Wicked, sometimes good intentions lead to unexpected problems – and that perfectly describes these music-box popcorn buckets. While the idea of a musical bucket seemed fun and fitting for the show, the reality is that the music-box feature gets in the way of its main job: holding popcorn! They’re surprisingly loud – sometimes even when you think they’re off – and any movement, like opening the lid, can set them off again. Picture twenty of these playing at different times during a showing of Wicked: For Good – it’s probably why most popcorn buckets stick to being silent.

Score: 2 out of 5

Volume

How much popcorn fits in the bucket?

This little box isn’t huge – it can fit about ten small cups, or one of those smaller popcorn sizes. As a big fan of family movies, and especially Wicked: For Good, I think this music box is definitely geared towards kids, and honestly, that’s perfectly fine with me. It gets a thumbs up!

Score: 3 out of 5

Value

Deciding if the bucket is worth the cost based on how creative, well-made, and valuable it is as a memento.

The Wicked: For Good popcorn bucket costs $49.95 and comes with a large popcorn. It’s definitely pricey, like most collectible buckets, but this one is more useful because it’s a good size for storing small items. Be aware that the Elphaba figure’s hand and broom broke off when I first opened it, suggesting the build quality isn’t great. However, the music box part itself seems well-made.

Score: 3 out of 5

Verdict

Final score: 13 out of 20

There’s a lot of movie and music-related merchandise out there, but this item really stands out thanks to its creative design and colors. We’ve tested tons of popcorn buckets here at Vulture Popcorn Labs, and this is one of just two – the other being the Naked Gun beaver – that I’d actually want to keep.

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2025-11-21 20:55