Even the classics aren’t immune to the popcorn bucket craze. As someone who admires the medium myself, I see that as a good thing - especially when a classic like Dogma returns to the 2025 movie schedule with a perfect concept in hand. If you’re a fan of Kevin Smith’s prodigal comedy, you probably know where that prospect is going. But I bet you didn’t know that the inspiration for a crucial part of Dogma’s 25th anniversary rollout came from none other than pop superstar Taylor Swift.
Taylor Swift’s Cinematic Eras Tour Rollout Inspired Kevin Smith’s Dogma Anniversary Strategy
Ok, we really need to talk about how T. Swizzle got roped into this shindig, as I’m just as surprised as you are to read that statement. But that’s exactly what Kevin Smith told me, as we sat down to talk about his recent appearance in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. As Dogma’s complicated rights history came to a satisfying end that allowed the film to be resurrected, I had to ask Smith about the blessed event.
With the June 5th date for non-roadshow screenings in play, that led to this statement shared by the Clerks director, in his chat with CinemaBlend:
One of the first things we did with Alessandra [Williams], the woman who rescued Dogma … we [asked], ‘Do we go to a studio? Who do we sell the movie to?’ I said, ‘Look, that Taylor Swift did something very smart when she reached out to AMC, went past the studios, [and] made a direct deal with the exhibitors.’ So I was like, ‘Why don't we reach out to AMC?’ And we did, man, and because of that, the tour that I'm on so far has been all through AMC Theaters. And then when we release on June 5th, [it’s] mostly on AMC screens, and other theaters have now joined up as well.
As someone who’s kicking themselves for missing the Dogma roadshow’s stop in my neck of the woods, I can confirm that when I saw the listing of tour dates go up, it was all AMC Theatres locations. But of course, with that cinema chain producing fantastic concession collectables like The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’s hammer-shaped popcorn bucket, the bar is pretty high for this sacramental snack carrier to clear.
Right about now, you're fully expecting one specific piece of iconography in the View Askewniverse to take center stage as the true form of this proposed vessel. Needless to say, like the audience at Dogma’s recent Cannes Film Festival screening, you're not going to be disappointed.
Yes Kids, Kevin Smith’s Dogma Popcorn Bucket Pitch Is The Buddy Christ
Imagine being able to show up to your local AMC Theatres branch and being able to eat popcorn out of the Son of God himself. That’s exactly what Kevin Smith wants to have in store for Dogma’s faithful fans showing up to the theater, as the Buddy Christ is the form he’s chosen for this hypothetical treat. As you’ll see in Smith’s continued comments to CinemaBlend, this was a concern he put into play pretty early on:
One of the first things I said when we talked to the AMC people was, ‘What are my popcorn bucket options?’ And we have been deep in discussions about [a] Buddy Christ, that you reach inside and eat your popcorn out of it. When you're done, you fill it with holy water, leave it right there by the door.
At the time of this writing, there’s no update on whether Kevin Smith’s Dogma popcorn bucket will be realized or not. But with Dogma’s 25th anniversary re-release starting on June 5th, the clock is ticking. Thankfully, the consequences here aren’t as severe as Loki and Bartleby’s play for armageddon, but rather a potential for an exclusive piece of merch to pick up from Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. Through them, all things are possible - as you’ll see again once Dogma returns to theaters.
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