Once again, AMC Theatres has gone viral over an eyebrow-raising product tie-in; this time, for the highly-anticipated release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice last week. And much like the titular antagonist of the horror-comedy sequel, the price is not for the faint of heart.
In conjunction with the film, locations of the theater chain's MacGuffins Bar across the country have been serving up a concoction called the Sandworm Slayer. The specialty drink is made with a blend of blue and black raspberry juice and "premium vodka," topped with sour gummy "sandworms." And at least one moviegoer shelled out a whopping $31 for it.
"I bought the AMC Beetlejuice Beetlejuice themed drink. It cost $31 dollars," posted X user Andrew Woods over the weekend. In response to another user asking if he got an extra shot to jack the price up, Woods posted a photo of a sandwich board sign advertising the drink for $28.24 plus tax.
I bought the AMC BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE themed drink. It cost $31 dollars… pic.twitter.com/xSHnCuo60D
— Andrew Woods (@JimJarmuschHair) September 8, 2024
— Andrew Woods (@JimJarmuschHair) September 8, 2024
"If you drink three of them, Beetlejuice appears and repossesses your car," quipped one user, while another added: "$31 for a little bit of vodka and some gummy worms would make me hate the movie."
"Naw Beetlejuice would’ve had to show up and bring me my drink for that price," chimed in yet another user. Others remarked that the price would have perhaps been worth it if it came in a collector's cup, such as the novelty popcorn buckets AMC is known for selling—especially considering the discrepancy between the appearance of the actual drink compared with an official advertisement in the lobby.
— Andrew Woods (@JimJarmuschHair) September 8, 2024
In statement to The Hollywood Reporter, AMC said that the price for the Sandworm Slayer at 92 percent of AMC locations across the country is a slightly less wince-inducing $21 plus tax, whereas the location selling it for $31 total was apparently in California. The chain added that the drink "like so many of our movie-tie-in drinks, is wildly popular across the AMC circuit and sold very well during the weekend."
Interestingly enough, this isn't even the first time a sandworm-related AMC product tie-in has gone viral this year, lest we all have forgotten the Dune: Part Two novelty popcorn buckets that sent minds everywhere straight into the gutter.
