Each summer, the world becomes a buzz with social media, blockbuster movies, and plenty of time to relax and watch guilty-pleasure television, and this summer was no different. June to August was full of some of the hottest pop culture moments, and as fall starts, it is time to look back on the most iconic moments of the summer.
This summer’s blockbusters were some of the best theaters had seen in years. A particular standout at the theater this year was James Gunn’s “Superman,” starring David Corenswet as the titular character. Audiences loved the playfulness this new Superman brought to the big screen, and social media was alive with commentary on the movie as people praised the uplifting and kind messaging.
Zach Cregger’s horror movie, “Weapons,” also lit up social media, but certainly not for the same reasons. Audiences were terrified by the creepy possessed children that ran across their screens, resulting in endless social media videos of people recreating the off-putting, Naruto-like run.
The seemingly biggest movie this summer, however, was Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters.” The animated movie musical had audiences of all ages obsessed with the plot and music, and it was challenging to avoid hits like “Golden,” “Soda Pop,” or “Takedown.”
There were not too many television shows that captivated viewers this summer, but Peacock’s “Love Island USA” had a grip on social media for the first six weeks of summer. Audiences were able to see contestants and their drama unfold in real time almost every night of the week. The romance competition series ultimately ended with contestants Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales winning and splitting the $100,000 prize. Social media was full of opinions on which contestants were the best, who was the villain of the week, or what couples seemed to have the most potential.
Aside from “Love Island,” Amazon Prime’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” was another show that took pop culture by storm. Season three dealt with the show’s main character, Belly, trying to decide which brother, Conrad or Jeremiah, to ultimately end up with. Each week, viewers loudly shared their opinions on the characters’ choices and who they thought was the better brother. The show concluded in mid-September, but a movie is on the way to finally wrap up the story.
In general news, possibly the biggest pop culture story of the summer was Taylor Swift’s engagement to football star Travis Kelce. Her Instagram post from August, announcing the news, has garnered 37 million likes, and as her album release date approaches, people cannot stop talking about it. The other attention-grabbing story this summer was KATSEYE, a pop girl group, appearing in GAP’s denim ad. People went crazy for their hypnotic dance to Kelis’ “Milkshake” and social media was full of fans attempting to recreate the dance and looks throughout the ad.
This summer did not disappoint in pop culture moments, and social media loved it. Fall is sure to bring even more moments to endlessly discuss!
–Oct. 7, 2025–
