The filmmaker had many things to say about the latest development from Reynolds’ Deadpool and Wolverine.

ryan reynolds, dune, denis villeneuve

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two was the first big blockbuster of the year and led to a horde of new fans joining the fandom. The Timothée Chalamet starrer was based on Frank Herbert’s popular sci-fi novels and was the sequel of 2021’s Dune: Part One. The film also starred Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and more.

While the film’s release led to many ‘Lisan-al-Gaib’ memes, nothing from the film went as viral as the infamous Dune popcorn bucket. The sandworm-shaped bucket was an object of ridicule from fans as well as the stars themselves. Ryan Reynolds recently released the Deadpool and Wolverine popcorn bucket as a joke, to which Villeneuve has responded.

Denis Villeneuve Responds To Ryan Reynolds’ Popcorn Bucket

Denis Villeneuve on the sets of Dune: Part Two

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two became a worldwide phenomenon after its theatrical release earlier this year. The sci-fi epic remains the highest-grossing film of the year with $711 million in box office collections and was also appreciated by critics and fans alike (via The Numbers). Plans for a third part are already underway.

While the film gave social media many meme-worthy instances, one of the biggest memes to come out of the movie was not even part of it but was a marketing stunt. The Dune popcorn bucket by AMC theaters with its sandworm-shaped design quickly became viral due to its inaccessible design and s*xual connotations. Even the stars of the film were embarrassed to lay their hands on it (via YouTube).

The Deadpool and Wolverine popcorn bucket released by Ryan Reynolds

Actor Ryan Reynolds recently released a video announcing the Deadpool and Wolverine popcorn bucket. The overly s*xualized video is on brand for the merc with the mouth and satirizes the Dune bucket. When Denis Villeneuve was asked about the war by Reynolds, Villeneuve jokingly fueled the fire by comparing the two buckets. He said to E-Talk,

They are tremendously jealous of our bucket and they are doing their best to try to bring something horrific to the world. But, the Dune bucket is unmatchable…I’m not saying I don’t like the bucket. It was difficult to beat the Dune bucket. It was like one of a kind.

The Deadpool and Wolverine popcorn bucket is designed in the shape of Wolverine’s head with a gaping mouth as the opening to put the popcorn in. Reynolds’ video sees him caressing the bucket and pouring butter on it as orchestral music plays in the background.

Dune Bucket Creator Said He Did Not Expect The S*x Jokes

The Dune popcorn bucket as seen on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two gave rise to multiple memes. From fans going gaga over some of the epic sequences in the movie to equating Stilgar to the ultimate hype-man with his ‘Lisan-al-Gaib’ chants, the film added to Internet conversations like no other film this year. The popcorn bucket has also been an irreplaceable part of the conversation.

While the creators of the bucket, the Zinc Group, wanted to create something memorable from the film to be the design of the bucket, they reportedly did not expect the s*x jokes to be part of the conversation. The vice president of the company said to Polygon,

That thing sat in our office for six months. It sat in Legendary’s office for six months, because, you know, they moved the movie. And it sat in AMC’s office for six months. There was a couple of things said, but no one equated it to what happened.

The global creative head of the company, Marcus Gonzalez mentioned that they never expected how the Internet would receive the bucket. However, the bucket did increase sales and acted as a great marketing stunt for the movie.