Tom Cruise says he wasn’t fake-eating popcorn in that viral clip

Tom Cruise has said he was not fake-eating popcorn in the viral clips of him throwing kernels of popcorn into his mouth during the premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. 

• READ MORE: ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ review: a fitting farewell to Tom Cruise’s all-action hero

Cruise has been going viral because of his popcorn habits, and for calling out a fan at a screening of the new film for finishing their popcorn before the movie even started.

Other videos show Cruise throwing kernels of popcorn into his mouth, with fans reacting on social media about the way he eats; “I’ve never seen anyone eat their popcorn like that before,” one user wrote.

I've never seen anyone eat their popcorn like that before.
pic.twitter.com/gpepFTRq56

— Oscar Race (@TheOscarRace) May 20, 2025

Now, Cruise has spoken about his popcorn habits. During an appearance on ESPN‘s The Pat McAfee Show, he said: . “Man, I’m eating popcorn! They know when I’m going to these movies that I’m watching, I’m eating popcorn.”

“I’m eating that popcorn @DariusJButler" @TomCruise #PMSLive https://t.co/hjKVYTz2lo pic.twitter.com/EhJXqjWg2G

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 21, 2025

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning was released in UK theatres on May 21. In NME’s four-star review of the film, it was praised for its stunts and storyline.

It reads: “Away from the stunts, a character returning from the first Mission: Impossible and a montage of key moments from other films in the series will delight fans, while a small role for Severance star Tramell Tillman as a submarine commander is an unexpected highlight. There’s ultimately lots to love about Final Reckoning and if this is the end, Cruise and Co are finishing on a high.”

In other Tom Cruise-related news, Top Gun 3 is in the pipeline and the actor confirmed that he is “working” on it.

He said he is currently in the ideas phase of where to take the storyline. “Yeah, we’re thinking and talking about many different stories and what could we do and what’s possible,” he said on Australia’s Today. “It took me 35 years to figure out Top Gun: Maverick, so all of these things we’re working on, we’re discussing Days of Thunder and Top Gun: Maverick.”

Cruise originated the role of Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell in Top Gun in 1986, before reprising it in 2022 in Top Gun: Maverick. 

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