In response to Cinemark’s post, an Instagram user wrote a mellow, “We need to chill on the popcorn buckets, I think.” Others were less restrained in their commentary, with one joking, “Chum bucket remove the ‘h,’” while another added in disbelief, “No one actually thought about the cup, I see.” Possibly the most blunt (and hilarious) commenter said, “I don’t want a Spider-Man jizz tornado, thank you.”
Still, as bizarre as Spider-Man’s concession stand may be, it’s far from an isolated case. In fact, it’s not even the only superhero collectible to spark this kind of reaction this year.
A promotional “gripper” cup for James Gunn’s upcoming Supergirl went viral after fans noticed that its suited-torso design featuring Kara’s jacket from the Superman film looked suspiciously like another body part entirely. The internet immediately dubbed it the “Supergirl foreskin cup,” prompting many people to assume the images circulating online had to be AI-generated. They were not. The cup is very real, proving once again that reality continues to outperform parody when it comes to film merchandise.
At this point, the pattern is becoming difficult to ignore even if you insist your mind isn’t in the gutter. Which raises an increasingly real possibility: none of this is accidental.
Studios and theater chains have now seen firsthand what happens when a collectible goes viral. While some make their intentions clear, like the Deadpool-designed Wolverine popcorn bucket for the 2024 Deadpool & Wolverine film (there was something in the air in 2024, wow), others are harder to read. Items like the Supergirl cup and Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s combo container make it less obvious whether these designs are simply unfortunate coincidences or deliberate attempts at engineered viral marketing.
To be fair, plenty of fans genuinely like Cinemark’s batch of Brand New Day merch. The simple but classic Spidey-face water bottle and comic-printed blanket have received much warmer reception, offering something a little more understated for the non-freaky fans. Well, in all fairness, Spider-Man collectors rarely need much convincing to add any new item to their shelves.
