AMC's Super Mario Galaxy Popcorn Buckets are Going Viral

Bowser’s Cauldron is a miniature popcorn bucket tied to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which opens April 1, 2026. The bucket is a nod to Bowser’s shrunken form in the film, measuring 2.6 inches at its widest point and holding five to 11 kernels of popcorn.

Guinness officially certified it as the World’s Smallest Commercially Available Popcorn Container on March 17. It’s available at AMC and Cinemark as a standalone item. Cinemark also includes it in their $35 Super Ticket bundle alongside a mini poster, a random Luma push pin, a medium drink, and a popcorn tub. AMC’s standalone price is $7.69.

If you’re not reselling popcorn buckets, you’re missing out on a lot of money. Collectible popcorn buckets have been big business in the last few years, with designs from films like Alien: Romulus, Sinners, and Wicked all flipping for well over their prices at the concessions stand.

The Super Mario IP is also a massive tailwind. The first Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, and the Nintendo fandom is enormous. Gaming collectors, Mario completionists, and casual fans are all potential buyers on the secondary market, not just resellers. That kind of broad demand is what keeps prices elevated past opening weekend.

Active eBay presale listings are currently ranging from $40 to $90 for the Cauldron. Those are asking prices, not sold prices, since the bucket doesn’t hit theaters until April 1. The actual secondary market will shake out after opening weekend, but the spread between $7.69 retail and $40-plus presale asks suggests real buyer interest, not just seller wishful thinking.

If you can load up on a few of these on opening day, the math is genuinely good. At $40 sold after eBay’s ~13% fee, you’re netting roughly $34.80 per unit on a $7.69 investment, which is around $27 profit per bucket. That’s a 350% return. Get five of them and you’re looking at $135 in profit for one trip to the movies. If prices settle closer to the higher end of current presale asks, that number goes up considerably.

The big question is availability. High-demand theater exclusives tend to disappear fast on opening weekend at busy locations. Going to a lower-traffic AMC on April 1 gives you a better shot at picking up multiples. Check AMC’s website to confirm your local theater is participating before making the trip.

AMC concession purchases are generally not refundable, so if the secondary market doesn’t materialize the way presale asks suggest, you’re holding a very small cauldron. At $7.69 per unit though, the downside is about as limited as it gets.

And while you’re here, make sure you check out our article on Yoshi popcorn buckets that will be releasing on the same day. These are available at multiple theaters, but will likely sell out fast.