The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is just a few months away, and the film is jumping on the popular popcorn bucket trend with a special Yoshi design. The Mario movie franchise from Illumination and Nintendo brings classic gaming characters to life, featuring A-list voices like Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Jack Black. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is expanding on the success of the first film by bringing in even more of the classic characters from Nintendo's roster, and fans are excited to see Mario's frequent friend, Yoshi, on the big screen.
A first peek at the Super Mario Galaxy Movie's bespoke popcorn bucket recently arose online, with the design focusing on one of the movie's new characters, Yoshi. The bucket depicts the green dinosaur sitting down and clutching one of its spotted eggs, which Yoshi is famous for making (and has been shown off in the movie's trailers). The design reflects Yoshi's look in the new Mario movie, with the dinosaur wearing orange boots and a red shell on its back.
While there isn't yet any confirmation of how this popcorn bucket will operate, it seems Yoshi's nose may be detachable, allowing access to the popcorn inside. It's also not clear which theatre chains the new Super Mario Galaxy Movie bucket will be available at, or if it will be exclusive to any specific ones.
The first Super Mario Bros. Movie was also part of the popcorn bucket trend, offering designs in the shape of blocks, and with the movie's poster and branding on cups and tins. However, for this sequel, Illumination appears to be going all-in on the popular merchandise trend, offering a more attention-grabbing design.
In many ways, focusing on Yoshi for the popcorn bucket is perfect. Yoshi is a fan favorite character from the Mario universe and was the teaser at the end of the first movie, so fans are already excited to see the dinosaur's debut. Yoshi also has the cuteness factor, which is well and truly on display in this popcorn bucket design, and should have huge appeal for families who will be viewing the movie, making the bucket an undoubtedly popular collector's item.
Including the egg in Yoshi's popcorn bucket design is also a firm confirmation that the dinosaur's egg-laying powers will be a core part of the movie. In the games, Yoshi has the ability to swallow items and churn them out as eggs, which he can then use as weapons to throw. They are a precious and useful item for the dinosaur, making them a perfect fit for Yoshi's popcorn bucket design.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, with stars Pratt, Taylor-Joy, and Black returning, alongside newcomers Brie Larson and Benny Safdie. The movie is one of several major animated sequels releasing in 2026, and will arrive in theatres on April 1.
Will Super Mario Galaxy Movie Get More Popcorn Buckets?
This is just the first of what is sure to be many Super Mario Galaxy Movie popcorn buckets. Designs for these items are typically revealed a few weeks ahead of a movie's launch, so the rest of the range should be revealed in the next month or so.
In terms of design potential, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie offers many new and exciting sources of inspiration. The fan-favorite Lumas are returning in the Mario sequel and could offer more opportunities for Illumination to capitalize on the cute characters in its film. Additionally, Mario and Luigi will appear as babies in the movie, so this could also provide a unique marketing opportunity for the film's popcorn and drink lineup.
There are also new characters alongside Yoshi in the Mario movie, including Rosalina and Bowser Jr., who could be featured on new merchandise, alongside the familiar characters from the first film.
There's been no shortage of creativity when it comes to theatre's popcorn bucket designs, and it seems Illumination and Nintendo are ready to play with their offerings for the Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
