AMC Theatres Launches Exclusive Shrek 25th Anniversary Popcorn Bucket—Fans Race to Secure Limited Stock

AMC Theatres has kicked off spring 2026 with a blockbuster performance, welcoming more than 6 million moviegoers worldwide over the five-day Easter holiday—its highest Easter attendance in the company’s 106-year history—thanks largely to the record-breaking global launch of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and brisk in-theatre merchandise sales. The surge in foot traffic arrives as AMC Entertainment Holdings finalizes a commitment letter to refinance its European Odeon notes, a move designed to slash interest expenses ahead of an expected close on or before 6 April 2026. Analysts at Roth/MKM promptly lifted their stock price target, citing the stronger content slate and looming debt reprieve as catalysts for earnings momentum later this year. Beyond the balance sheet, AMC continues to lean into experiential add-ons that drive per-capita spending. After instant sell-outs of its “Barbenheimer” and “Taylor Swift Eras Tour” collectibles last year, the circuit is rolling out limited-edition “Shrek” outhouse popcorn buckets on 1 May, bundled with a large popcorn to entice repeat visits ahead of the franchise’s 25th anniversary re-release. Combined with a summer slate that features Marvel’s “X-Men: Rebirth,” Pixar’s “Timekeepers,” and Universal’s “Fast & Furious 11,” executives project domestic attendance could climb another 8–10% versus 2025 levels. If projections hold, AMC Theatres would notch its first full-year operating profit since the pandemic, reinforcing the exhibitor’s turnaround narrative and positioning the brand as a bellwether for the broader cinema industry recovery.