One Florida mall’s theater is joining others across the country in trying to stop the chaos occurring during screenings of “A Minecraft Movie.”
For kids these days, social media, video games and movies are intertwined. When “Minecraft” came to the big screen, people of all ages flocked to the theaters. But an unwelcome trend did, as well.
“The movie-going experience has changed a lot since I was younger,” Josh Gunderson, director of marketing and events at Oviedo Mall, told FOX Business. “And TikTok has changed that quite a bit.”
Gunderson was the one who created a Facebook post on Monday calling on disruptive behaviors during “Minecraft” screenings to stop.
KIDS CAUSE CHAOS DURING ‘MINECRAFT’ MOVIE VIEWINGS
“There’s been a challenge out there to, during certain parts of the movies, yell, scream, throw stuff, and we’ve reached the point where it’s becoming very disruptive of the movie-going experience, and also it was causing destruction to our brand-new theaters,” he said.
While a “no unaccompanied minors” policy would be up to operator Regal Cinemas, Gunderson said the mall would assist in implementing it should the behavior continue.
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B&B Theatres in Kansas City, Missouri, told FOX 4 they have seen disruptions during the part of the movie Jack Black yells “chicken jockey.”
Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Sandy Springs, Georgia, told FOX 5 Atlanta staff have had to clean up popcorn, ICEEs, ketchup and shattered glass.
“It was horrific,” theater worker Alexi Alvear told the local TV station. “It took me three hours.”
Movie star Black himself appeared at a showing in Los Angeles recently, where he too discouraged trashing of theaters.
“Please, no throwing popped corn, and also no lapis lazuli, and also absolutely no chicken jockeys!” Black can be heard saying in the video to a packed theater.
“A Minecraft Movie” was released on April 4. So far, the movie has made more than $557 million at the box office worldwide, according to data-tracking website The Numbers.
For those who still need to squeal in excitement during a showing, Regal Cinemas is hosting “Chicken Jockey Screenings” on April 20.
“There are some rules we don’t break,” the entertainment company’s website states. “So here’s the deal: build excitement? Absolutely. LOL with friends till you’re rolling in the aisles? Totally. But please don’t go full Creeper in the auditorium.”
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