It's a time-honored summer tradition: sinking into your plush stadium seat in a cool movie theater with a big bag of popcorn - the irresistible aroma of popped kernels and butter wafting up until you dig in and almost have the bag finished by the end of previews. But this summer? You may have to do without.

AMC Theatres Reopens Its Doors By Celebrating 100 Years Of Operations With "Movies In 2020 At 1920 Prices"
Getty Images
loading...

It's hard to imagine seeing a blockbuster without popcorn, but it may become a reality, affecting the draw of long-awaited releases like Jurassic World: Dominion, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Minions: The Rise of Gru.

So why could Capital Region theaters be running out of popped gold?

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the United States is facing a nationwide popcorn shortage. It's just becoming too expensive for farmers to grow. Annual yields are getting lower and lower, as the time, care, and supply price tag it takes to feed America's theaters gets higher and higher.

Ethanol Industry Threatened By Midwest Drought
Getty Images
loading...

It takes a special fertilizer to properly grow the corn needed, and that fertilizer's cost has tripled over lockdown - leading many farmers to switch to lower-maintenance soybeans. Add that to a trucker shortage, meaning deliveries are stymied and it could turn a summer romcom into a horror for theater chains and movie fans.

107.7 WGNA logo
Get our free mobile app

And even the theaters that can get their hands on product are facing another popcorn problem: the drip-proof linings that keep all that delectable butter and oil on your corn and off your lap are also in short supply. This means many theaters have to spring for more expensive plastic and metal containers - for which the increased cost will be passed directly to the consumer.

Cinemark Movie Theaters Reopen Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Getty Images
loading...

People clearly want to get back to theaters and bring their wallets with them. Top Gun: Maverick broke Memorial Day Weekend records with a $156m opening. But with soda flavors already running out for weeks and nacho trays and popcorn bags getting harder to find, its a big speedbump for an industry desperate to get moviegoers, especially families with kids, back to cinemas and away from streaming after the pandemic.

 

Abandoned Camp in Upstate NY Gives Off Major Horror Movie Vibe

A hiking trail between Syracuse and Rochester in Upstate New York is a favorite for thrill-seekers because you can wander through an eerie girl scout camp, abandoned 30 plus years ago.

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

 

More From 107.7 WGNA