Some ‘Minecraft Movie’ Audiences Are Trashing Theaters, Causing Chaos

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If you find the stock market particularly turbulent recently, take a look at the unusual events unfolding in certain cinemas during showings of the Minecraft Movie.

Numerous viral clips show enthusiastic viewers of the movie adaptation of a popular video game getting overly excited, tossing food and drinks, and causing damage to auditoriums. In one instance, an individual was expelled for waving a live chicken. Some cinemas are giving warnings, with Cinema United – an international trade organization representing numerous exhibitors – issuing advisory guidelines such as “pre-show announcements” and that if the situation deteriorates, local law enforcement can be summoned (it has been reported, and in one viewer’s video, police have indeed been called). As for the theater staff tasked with cleaning up the aftermath, they claim they are growing tired of it.

Here’s one of the viral posts (more examples below):

In response to the excitement on Instagram, UK cinema chain Cineworld stated that applause, cheers, and shouting “I AM STEVE” are all welcome actions. However, they advised against behaving like a nuisance or causing disruption by throwing items, creating a mess, or recording the screen (which is considered piracy).

Due to an unnamed incident, a movie theater in New Jersey has announced on Facebook that children attending the film should be accompanied by their parents or responsible adults, as it carries only a PG rating.

So what is happening here, exactly?

Newcomers should know that the movie titled “A Minecraft Adventure” revolves around four outcasts who find themselves transported into a pixelated dimension. Led by a proficient builder named Steve, portrayed by Jack Black, they undertake a journey to return home. An unusual event unfolds when a baby zombie climbs onto the back of a chicken, creating a “chicken rider” – an exceptionally scarce incident in the game. This moment causes a wave of enthusiasm and astonishment among fans (using another analogy from pop culture, this is similar to when Captain America managed to lift Thor’s hammer in Avengers: Endgame)).

Over the past weekend, I noticed a surge of videos labeled “chicken jockey!” becoming popular on TikTok. It appears this trend has been catching on, especially within the gaming circles of my teenage peers.

In its first six days of release, the movie has made over $185 million within the U.S. and an additional $380 million internationally, surpassing predictions and even outearning this year’s anticipated video game adaptation, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie“. As of yet, Warner Bros. hasn’t released any official comment on the matter.

It’s uncertain just how wide-spread the disorder is, as none of the country’s leading circuits have issued any warnings, and a top exhibitor claims that most screenings have proceeded without significant incidents. However, it’s not implied that there haven’t been more clean-ups than typical between screenings. One issue was the uncertainty about the movie’s popularity, which made it difficult to determine how many staff members were needed.

Despite months of struggling box office performances and theaters eagerly trying to attract customers, there’s now one movie that seems to be generating more enthusiasm among viewers than they can handle.

Theater workers, much like many service providers, have been dealing with escalating rudeness from customers since the pandemic began. These employees have expressed their frustrations, sharing stories and images of chaotic scenes, damaged items, and even instances where they had to contact the authorities (as seen in the video below).

An Apple Cinemas employee wrote, ‘The theaters are completely trashed.’ They mentioned that many people suggest evicting the problematic individuals, which is typically the solution, but they find it challenging to identify a specific person responsible as the whole theater seems to be collectively loud and boisterous (with some even shouting).

Goodness gracious! I assumed ‘Wicked’ was terrible, but it can’t hold a candle to the incident with ‘Minecraft’. In fact, during one of our performances, we had to expel no less than thirty teenage boys!” wrote someone else.

Another person stated, ‘This is the only film I’ve ever experienced where there were persistent issues with boisterous, disruptive children who had to be asked to leave. And let’s not discuss the poor state of the cinemas! Frankly, I can’t stand this movie.’

Another person expressed that our current situation is incredibly tough here. Everyone’s feeling tense, irritable, and taking it out on each other due to errors happening, likely because we have a high number of customers but not enough staff. It’s all so hectic and pressured. We’re all eager for this phase to pass.

In general, theater chains are expected to remain quiet on the matter as they’ve learned from past incidents that voicing warnings might inadvertently encourage more unruly conduct. For instance, one circuit had to ask fans of “Minions: The Rise of Gru” to stop tossing bananas, which could have led to further copycat behavior. More recently, AMC requested that “Wicked” audience members refrain from singing during regular screenings, but this request also resulted in more of the same behavior.

A cinema operator confides in THR that Cinema United recently issued a notice to its staff about ensuring safety and enjoyment at Minecraft screenings. The suggested precautions include making pre-screening announcements, displaying signs, and imposing clear penalties like asking the offender to leave. In extreme cases, local law enforcement can be contacted. Additionally, parents should be reminded that younger audiences need an adult companion, as stated in the memo obtained by THR (Cinema United chose not to comment on this matter).

A small-town movie theater owner running a 10-screen cinema, who spoke with THR on Thursday, shared that so far, no significant incidents have occurred during the showings of Minecraft. She mentioned this has been beneficial for her business. If any issue arises, she expressed readiness to address it promptly.

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2025-04-11 01:54