Popcorn in Pop Culture: The Big Screen And Beyond

Popcorn has long been more than just a snack—it’s a symbol of entertainment and Americana that has shown up across pop culture. Its most iconic role, of course, is in film. In Scream 2 (1997), popcorn burns on the stove during the opening scene, building tension before the horror unfolds—a subtle but powerful nod to its cinematic symbolism. In The Simpsons, popcorn is constantly referenced in couch gags and movie parodies, often to poke fun at over-the-top Hollywood tropes. Even Disney’s WALL-E features popcorn in a futuristic context, with the robot protagonist watching old musicals while munching on the snack, tying nostalgia and storytelling together.

In music, popcorn has made some quirky but memorable appearances. The 1969 electronic hit “Popcorn” by Gershon Kingsley—and its wildly popular 1972 cover by Hot Butter—became a synth-pop sensation, with its catchy, bouncing rhythm mimicking kernels popping. The song has been sampled and remixed by artists like Aphex Twin and Muse, embedding it deeper into the soundscape of electronic and experimental music. More recently, in the video for Katy Perry’s “This Is How We Do,” popcorn appears as part of a surreal, candy-colored visual world, reinforcing its role as a symbol of carefree fun and over-the-top aesthetics.

Popcorn has also left its buttery mark on the art world. In 2014, artist Cory Arcangel filled a room at the Whitney Museum with a popcorn machine, blurring the line between consumer goods and performance art. Popcorn has been used by artists like Banksy, who referenced it in satirical pieces critiquing consumer culture, and Andy Warhol, who famously treated mass-produced items as high art—his pop art philosophy extending naturally to something as iconic and instantly recognizable as popcorn. Even contemporary sculpture artists like Paola Pivi have used popcorn as material or subject, exploring themes of impermanence and absurdity.

From the screen to the stage to the studio, popcorn continues to pop up in unexpected ways. It’s a symbol that’s light, nostalgic, and deeply tied to collective experience. Whether it’s used to build suspense in a horror movie, deliver infectious rhythm in an electronic track, or provoke thought in a gallery, popcorn has earned its spot as a lasting—and surprisingly versatile—icon in pop culture.