Tom Cruise has responded to the viral “popcorngate” moment that sparked online reactions during his Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning press tour. A video of Cruise eating popcorn at a London screening circulated widely, drawing both jokes and praise. While the exaggerated snacking style caught fans’ attention, Cruise later addressed the incident with humor and explained his longtime love for movie theater popcorn.
Tom Cruise goes viral for eating popcorn
Tom Cruise went viral after a video surfaced of him aggressively eating popcorn at the BFI IMAX in London.
To add onto the Tom/popcorn lore: I need y’all to realize THIS is how he eats popcorn pic.twitter.com/TZ9UT3xcxb
— Seif ?? (@seifwtf) May 19, 2025
In the clip, the 62-year-old actor was filmed frantically shoveling popcorn into his mouth moments before taking the stage, with kernels flying as he missed his mouth several times. Online users quickly dubbed the moment “#popcorngate.”
The clip gained traction during Cruise’s international press tour for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and rumored final installment in the action franchise. At screenings, Cruise often asked audiences if they had popcorn and admitted, “I normally eat two big buckets myself during a movie.” One viral interaction showed Cruise urging a fan to “go get some more” after noticing their empty bucket.
Online reactions ranged from amusement to mockery. One viewer commented, “He’s eating it like any other middle-aged dad!!” while others compared his eating style to their grandfathers. Social media users described his approach as chaotic and intense, prompting jokes like “peak male performance” and “popcorn lore.”
Cruise later addressed the frenzy on The Pat McAfee Show, confirming through laughter, “Man, I’m eating popcorn. They know when I’m going to these movies that I’m watching, I’m eating popcorn.” In a separate appearance at AMC Lincoln Square in New York, bystanders observed him grabbing multiple buckets of popcorn and chatting with theater staff.
Cruise’s popcorn habits have been previously documented. In a 2023 promotional video, he declared, “I love my popcorn. Movies. Popcorn” (via GQ). He also posed with popcorn at events like the Twisters premiere and encouraged co-star Glen Powell to show his branded bucket for the cameras. His consistent popcorn enthusiasm has become a recurring theme during promotional tours.
