Top 10 Craziest KFC Mascot Collaborations in Pop Culture

#1: Colonel Sanders in WWE, Played by Shawn Michaels

In one of the most unexpected crossovers ever, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels donned the white suit and goatee to become the Colonel in a live wrestling match. That’s right—Colonel Sanders suplexed a man in the ring. This absurd-yet-hilarious stunt was part of KFC’s campaign to portray the Colonel as a larger-than-life figure who could show up anywhere and dominate. Michaels wasn’t the only one to play him—other wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler and Ric Flair followed suit in various promos—but it was HBK’s chicken-fueled entrance and in-ring action that truly stole the show. Seeing the Colonel perform Sweet Chin Music is the kind of unhinged marketing brilliance that could only come from KFC.

#2: RoboCop as KFC’s “Colonel RoboCop.”

Yes, this actually happened. In 2019, KFC rolled out a series of ads starring RoboCop as the Colonel—fully suited in metallic armor, sunglasses, and the signature bowtie. Tasked with guarding the secret recipe, Robo-Colonel was presented as the ultimate protector of fried chicken integrity. The image of a gun-wielding robot solemnly reciting lines about mashed potatoes was surreal and strangely captivating. It also worked as a nostalgic callback to ‘80s action fans while driving home KFC’s new focus on “securing” their branding. The campaign even teased the idea that RoboCop had replaced human Colonels entirely, which was both unsettling and hilarious. RoboCop’s cold logic + chicken = pure marketing madness.

#3: “I Love You, Colonel Sanders!” Dating Sim

In 2019, KFC released a fully playable anime-style dating simulator titled I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator. The game features a young, absurdly handsome anime version of the Colonel—complete with silver hair, chiseled abs, and culinary dreams. Players navigate cooking school, form rivalries, and try to win the Colonel’s heart. The game blew up online thanks to its over-the-top humor, pastel visuals, and the sheer audacity of turning the Colonel into a romantic lead. It was equal parts parody and genuine effort, and somehow, it worked. People streamed it, reviewed it, and shipped themselves with the Colonel. This bizarre fusion of anime tropes and chicken branding became a cult favorite.

#4: Colonel Sanders as a DC Comics Superhero

In one of the strangest DC crossovers ever, Colonel Sanders appeared in multiple comic book issues fighting crime alongside heroes like The Flash and Green Lantern. In The Colonel Corps comic, he teams up with alternate-universe versions of himself—including a muscular space-Colonel, a vampire-hunter Colonel, and even a chicken-wielding ninja Colonel—to defeat evil lookalikes like “Evil Colonel Sanders from Earth-3.” These one-shot comics were given away in KFC restaurants and became instant collector’s items. The sheer commitment to building a multiverse around fried chicken was bonkers—but the artwork, storylines, and superhero clichés were handled with just the right level of campy brilliance.

#5: Colonel Sanders Funko Pop Figures

When you start seeing your mascot as a Funko Pop, you know you’ve reached peak pop culture saturation. KFC partnered with Funko to release collectible Colonel Sanders figures—one with his signature cane and another holding a bucket of chicken. These stylized figurines flew off shelves and gave the Colonel a new status as a pop culture collectible. Fans of Funko loved the absurdity; fans of KFC loved the brand love. The figurines weren’t part of a campaign or video—they simply existed to prove that Colonel Sanders had transcended the chicken box and entered fandom territory. It was proof that he belonged on the same shelf as superheroes, Disney icons, and Star Wars legends.

#6: Colonel Sanders in The Sims 4

In another bizarre-yet-brilliant move, KFC partnered with EA to bring Colonel Sanders into The Sims 4 universe. While not officially downloadable as a branded expansion, fans could add a custom Sim version of the Colonel into their games—complete with his white suit, glasses, and Southern charm—using a KFC-sponsored fan creation pack. Sim Sanders could host chicken cook-offs, throw garden parties, and flirt with neighbors in delightfully weird scenarios. The collab went viral among Sims players who shared stories and screenshots of the Colonel romancing fellow Sims or building a fried chicken empire. It blended one of gaming’s most customizable sandboxes with one of fast food’s most recognizable mascots—and somehow, it worked.

#7: Colonel Sanders as a Lifetime Romance Movie Star

In a move no one saw coming, Lifetime aired a short film in 2020 titled A Recipe for Seduction, starring Saved by the Bell’s Mario Lopez as a smoldering, hunky Colonel Sanders. The 15-minute “mini-movie” played out like a steamy soap opera, with forbidden love, family drama, and fried chicken secrets all at the heart of the plot. Mario Lopez sported the signature white outfit and silver streaks in his hair, delivering lines like “There’s more to me than just my famous fried chicken recipe.” The tongue-in-cheek production was part parody, part marketing genius—and it quickly went viral. It cemented the Colonel’s place in the world of ironic thirst-traps and meme-worthy romantic leads.

#8: Colonel Sanders x Crocs

In 2020, KFC collaborated with Crocs to create one of the most visually chaotic pieces of branded merch in history: chicken-scented Colonel Sanders Crocs. Yes, scented. The shoes featured a red-and-white striped base, fried chicken visuals across the foot, and came with two attachable chicken drumstick Jibbitz that actually smelled like chicken. The collab was instantly memed and sold out in under 30 minutes. Social media couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry, but KFC leaned into the absurdity. This footwear fever dream proved that when it comes to pushing the limits of fast food branding, KFC—and the Colonel—will go places no other mascot dares.

#9: Colonel Sanders in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

As Animal Crossing became the chill game of the pandemic, KFC took notice. The brand launched its own in-game island called “KFC Island” in the Philippines—a fully built paradise featuring a KFC restaurant and an in-game version of Colonel Sanders himself. Players who visited the island and found the Colonel could win real-life food prizes. Complete with a virtual kitchen, dining area, and bucket-themed décor, this collab turned Animal Crossing into a virtual marketing playground. The Colonel waved, posed for photos, and served up digital charm with pixelated chicken. It was a uniquely wholesome and immersive blend of gaming, promotion, and community engagement.

#10: Colonel Sanders as a Fire Emblem-Style Battle Hero

In a lesser known but absolutely wild marketing push on social media, KFC released a parody image of the Colonel styled like a Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy character. With a broadsword in one hand and a bucket of chicken in the other, this version of Colonel Sanders was dubbed “Colonel of the Battlefield” and came with RPG-style stats like “Charisma: MAX” and “Fried Skill: 99.” Though it never became a real game, fan artists and Reddit threads ran with the idea, imagining a full JRPG starring Colonel Sanders leading a party of food-themed warriors. It was one of those moments where the brand clearly had fun trolling its audience—and fans happily played along.

KFC has turned Colonel Sanders into more than just a mascot—he’s become a shape-shifting, genre-bending pop culture icon. Whether he’s body-slamming opponents in a wrestling ring, seducing suitors in a Lifetime movie, or starring in an anime dating sim, the Colonel’s image has proven surprisingly versatile—and wildly entertaining. These collaborations may seem bizarre on the surface, but they’re a testament to KFC’s willingness to push boundaries and embrace absurdity in the name of fried chicken. One thing’s for sure: no other fast food mascot has had quite this much fun (or this many jobs).