Maximus once passionately declared, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” This profound statement resonates with the release of the Gladiator 2 popcorn bucket, which evokes nostalgia among fans and its connection to the late rapper MF Doom.
The creative mind behind the infamous “wormussy” from Dune: Part Two must feel like a modern-day Ozymandias, proclaiming, “Look on my works, ye mighty and despair,” as moviegoers eagerly spend $30 on various themed popcorn buckets now found at theater concession stands.
Each latest film release seems to cater to this growing curiosity, featuring franchises like Deadpool and Wolverine, Beetlejuice, Alien: Romulus, and Terrifier 3.
In case you haven’t heard, the Gladiator 2 popcorn bucket has been unveiled—and many have remarked on its uncanny resemblance to MF Doom’s mask.
https://t.co/aiIYyxSfOr pic.twitter.com/r8rEYaPN75
— MatrixMatt (@M8trixMatt) October 8, 2024
One social media user noted, “These are about to sell out and not just because of the movie,” while another chimed in, “The MF Doom popcorn must taste amazing.”
Another fan voiced concern for theater staff who may be puzzled by patrons insisting there’s only one bucket remaining, despite there being several left, due to misunderstandings of the significance behind the statements framed in all capital letters.
For those unfamiliar, MF Doom, whose real name was Daniel Dumile, was a well-known rapper recognized for donning a strikingly similar mask. Phrases like “One bucket left” and “remember ALL CAPS” refer back to his song ‘One Beer’ and his insistence on having his name and track title stylized in uppercase letters (his song ‘ALL CAPS’).
I was today years old when I discovered MF DOOM’s mask originates from Gladiator pic.twitter.com/HhYmgFy6cA
— AARON 🖍️ (@aaronfdesign) February 25, 2023
Sadly, MF Doom passed away in October 2020. In a 2009 interview, he shared how Gladiator was a muse for his distinctive mask.
“You know the movie Gladiator? Around that time, they began selling replicas of the gladiator masks from the film. A friend of mine mentioned he saw this mask that would suit the DOOM character perfectly,” he elaborated.
“I trusted his judgment, despite it being somewhat pricey [laughs]. He bought the mask, which was a collector’s item that came on a wooden stand for display purposes.”
One enthusiastic fan predicted, “This isn’t a critique of Gladiator 2, but I bet more MF Doom fans will snap up this bucket than actual viewers of Gladiator 2.”
If you want your own Gladiator 2 popcorn bucket, it will exclusively be sold at Regal Cinemas in advance of the film’s release.
Gladiator 2 is set to hit theaters on November 15 in the UK and November 22 in the US, and its most recent trailer contained a significant spoiler regarding Paul Mescal’s character.
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