Gladiator 2 popcorn bucket launch: Where to buy, release date, and more explored

The Gladiator popcorn bucket resembles MF Doom
The Gladiator popcorn bucket resembles MF Doom's mask (Image via Discussing Film/Twitter and Paramount Pictures)

Gladiator 2 is set to premiere on November 15, 2024, in UK, India, and more. A US and Canada release will be followed on November 22, 2024, and fans of the franchise will be able to see their favorite characters on the big screen.

Just when fans thought they couldn't be more excited about this release, Regal Cinemas unveiled the collectible Gladiator-themed Popcorn bucket and cup. Both collectible items sport the helmet that Maximus Decimus Meridius wore in the original Gladiator.

Presumably, the helmet lifts as the lid of both the popcorn bucket as well as the cup to give its users access to the food and beverage items within, making both of them cool collectible items for all fans waiting for the sequel over 20 years after the release of the original movie back in 2000.


Where to buy Gladiator 2 popcorn bucket and when?

Regal Movies took to Instagram to announce the collectible duo on October 8, 2024. They further announced that the popcorn bucket will be available to buy in Regal movie theatres in United States starting November 22, 2024, when the movie releases.

A direct statement on whether the collectibles are limited-time only hasn't been made yet. The price of the bucket has also been kept under covers, but based on recent movies-themed popcorn buckets it could be anywhere from $25 to $40.

While fans are excited to get their hands on this collectible, they also made another hilarious observation - the mask is the same one that late British-American rapper MF Doom used to wear.

After Regal Cinemas dropped the post revealing the collectibles on October 8, fans flooded Instagram and Twitter to share this hilarious observation.

Daniel Dumile, more popularly known as MF Doom, was a British American rapper who was well known for his intricate wordplay and "Supervillain" stage persona. The Maximus Decimus Meridius-worn mask was part of this stage persona, and interestingly enough, was inspired by the original Gladiator movie itself.


MF Doom's mask was inspired by the original Gladiator movie

While the mask is now more popularly known as MF Doom's mask, the look was inspired by Russell Crowe's mask in the movie released in 2000. As revealed by the late rapper in a 2009 conversation which featured on the podcast The House List in 2019.

His friend saw the mask and thought it would be perfect for the DOOM persona.

"You know the movie Gladiator? Well around that time, they started selling these ‘gladiator masks’ that were replicas from the movie. So what it was is that a friend of mine told me he saw this mask that would be perfect for the DOOM character."
"I trusted him, even though it was kind of expensive. So he went and bought the mask, which was this collector’s item thing that came on a wooden stand and all that. It was a total replica that came on a stick with a stand for displaying and s**t," he added.
"There was this top piece on it too that my friend just tore off. He took off the stick and everything else and just kept the faceplate. You know how construction hats have a plastic thing on the inside that you can tighten? Well, he just took one of those and fastened it to the mask. So he rigged it up for me. Since then, I chromed it out, added a ruby to it too. That’s how the mask came about," Dumile revealed.

Gladiator 2 is set to hit the cinemas on November 15, 2024, and will see popular names like Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington in key roles.

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Edited by Apoorva Jujjavarapu