A UK cinema has issued a warning to anyone planning to see the highly-anticipated Minecraft movie after a viral TikTok trend.
Despite critics already calling it the 'worst movie' of the year, A Minecraft Movie has smashed the box office, raking in an estimated $300 million (£233 million) globally on its opening weekend alone. It's now on track to become the best selling video game movie of all time alongside Nintendo's The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The comical video game adaptation sees stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa pulled through a portal into the blocky world of Minecraft.
But while it’s proving to be a crowd-pleaser, especially for those who grew up with the game, things have gotten out of hand in cinemas. Videos on social media show food and popcorn being thrown across the audience, with people shouting, swearing and jumping out of their seats.
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In one US theatre, the situation got so rowdy that police had to be called in to break it up. Now, the REEL cinema chain is warning that any customers who misbehave will be removed from the cinema, with Cineworld branches in Oxfordshire and Glasgow doing the same.
“To ensure everyone has the best possible cinema experience, we're increasing our monitoring of screens during performances,” a spokesperson told the Daily Echo.
“Disruptive behaviour, including taking part in TikTok trends, before, during, or after a screening will not be tolerated."
They added: “Anyone causing disruption will be asked to leave, and where necessary, the police will be called.”
As seen in the trailer, one scene that seems to make the audience go wild is when Black encounters a Minecraft chicken being ridden around a boxing ring by another character, to which Black yells, "Chicken Jockey".
Multiple clips online show people shouting the line back, cheering and clapping in the theatre when the scene occurs.
"Throughout the whole film, as new characters are introduced, there's this cheer of recognition," one father told the BBC.
“My theatre clapped every time Jack Black name dropped a Minecraft item that was in the trailers, and when he said Chicken Jockey I s*** you not the entire row in front of me gave a standing ovation,” one person shared.
“Just got back from watching the movie myself, can confirm everyone in the theatre collectively yelled ‘CHICKEN JOCKEY’ during that moment and it was glorious ngl,” wrote another.
Meanwhile, cinema employees have been using TikTok to urge viewers not to repeat the behaviour. “I’m a theatre employee: by throwing water, popcorn and all that onto people (which many have been doing) yall are making our jobs harder,” commented one user.