Lightcycle Popcorn Bucket No-Show Leaves TRON Fans Frustrated. Disappointment at Theaters Pushes Fans to Pricey Online Pre-Orders. The Grid’s highly-anticipated return with the premiere of TRON: Ares last night, October 9th, was soured for many dedicated fans who found themselves in a real-world de-resolution: the Lightcycle Popcorn Bucket was a no-show at theaters across the nation.
Instead of securing a light-up collectible Lightcycle at the concession stand, moviegoers at chains including Marcus Theatres, AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas, and Cinemark Theatres were reportedly told to go online to pre-order the item for a steep price of $74.99, plus additional shipping fees starting at over $11. If you want to pre-order, check out the article here for links to all four theaters selling Tron popcorn buckets.
Theater employees were quick to blame everything from shipping delays to production delays. From our experience, the creators of these popcorn buckets, Golden Link, have never had this issue in the past that was noticeable to moviegoers. Could it be how intricate the TRON: Ares Lightcycle popcorn bucket is? Furthermore, it is more than likely that the issue is importing them from China, where they are manufactured. Imports from China are slowing due to the combined effects of high tariffs and the resulting economic uncertainty.
The disappointment is a contrast to previous promotions announced. AMC Theatres had previously promoted the collectible on social media, telling fans to “Grab our goods from the Grid when you get 🎟s to see #TronAres, available 10/9 while supplies last!” Similarly, Regal Cinemas had sale signage up for the collection but directed customers to online pre-orders for the Lightcycle.
At the AMC 24 in Disney Springs, employees offered conflicting accounts ranging from a “shipment got lost” to “We didn’t get any in, maybe tomorrow.” A manager later confirmed the item was suffering “production delays,” with a hopeful in-theater availability window set between October 13th and 16th.
The Lightcycle is one of the more detailed and most expensive souvenir popcorn buckets on the market, retailing for $74.99 online. Matching the previously sold Galactus and HERBIE popcorn buckets sold during the Fantastic Four theatrical run. The online pre-order availability across multiple theater-branded shops confirms that the Lightcycle’s initial distribution strategy leans heavily on e-commerce, forcing fans to absorb extra shipping costs on top of the premium price for the 20-inch collectible.
The film’s official nationwide opening is today, October 10, 2025, but for many TRON faithful, the Lightcycle’s initial failure to launch has cast a frustrating shadow over the movie’s theatrical debut. Fans are now left to decide whether to pay the high price and shipping for an uncertain delivery date, some online pre-orders show a ship date as late as November 2025, or wait in hope to find it at their local theaters next week.
