Top Gun's Return To Theaters Includes A New Popcorn Bucket That's Making Me Feel The Need For Speed

I don’t know about you, but I always feel the need for speed, and I already booked my tickets for a Top Gun double feature in May. Literally, the second I found out Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick were returning to theaters alongside the projects on the 2026 movie schedule, I was ready to give the theaters my money. Now, I’m ready to give them more after seeing the popcorn bucket that will be sold as these Tom Cruise classics take flight in the theater.

While we’ve been looking to the future and Top Gun 3, which now has a writer attached to it, it’s time for a quick throwback. That’s because, during the week of May 13, you’ll be able to watch both Top Gun movies on the big screen! And to make matters better, you can get the perfect popcorn bucket to go with it, as you can see in AMC’s post about it:

Tuly, I can’t think of a better popcorn bucket to celebrate Top Gun’s 40th anniversary. That red, white and blue striped helmet is synonymous with this franchise and Cruise’s character Maverick. Plus, the shape obviously makes for a great popcorn holder. So, all around, I give this bucket an A+.

It can go on the list of iconic popcorn buckets that includes (but is not limited to) the viral NSFW Dune: Part 2 bucket, the adorable Yoshi bucket that was released with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and the highly sought-after Devil Wears Prada 2 popcorn purse. Oh, and how could I forget the really cool (but complicated) Mission: Impossible bucket that was released with The Final Reckoning? I mean, Tom Cruise does love popcorn, so of course, that movie and the Top Gun films would have great buckets to go with them.

Listen, as Tom Cruise once said on The Patt McAfee Show, “...when I’m going to these movies that I’m watching, I’m eating popcorn.” He might eat the movie snack in a funny way, but his enthusiasm for it is unmatched. So, it’s only fitting that two of his best films’ return to theaters feature a legendary bucket to go with them.

Fans are 100% feeling the need for this popcorn bucket too, as they commented things like:

• #AMC HELLLLLLL YESSSSS, what a badass bucket!!!!!! 🪖 🪣 These things won’t last long 💪 -@Riddlemethiss84
• This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen‼️-@EvilVillainAPE
• I feel the need -@McguirePetrov
• My closest AMC is 35 mins away and I’m still going. -@CampHopeOwner
• Do I have this money for this? NO. Will I buy it if they have it at my theater? YES -@B_HasThoughts

Along with AMC’s helmets (which do not have a price yet), Marcus Theaters is dropping popcorn helmets. However, they took it a step further by giving fans an option to get a Maverick bucket or a Goose bucket. Those each cost $35.99, and I’d imagine AMC’s will fall in that range as well.

Now, to get your hands on one of these buckets and to feel the need for speed once again on the big screen, you can catch both Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick in theaters starting on May 13.