A Minecraft Movie has spawned a bizarre cinema trend that has left audiences divided.
The film adaptation of the hit video game Minecraft has already proven to be one of the year’s big box office success stories.
Despite lukewarm reviews from critics (including The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey), the film, which stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa, is expected to take in $140m domestically during its opening weekend – vastly higher than predicted – as well as an additional $100m+ from outside the US.
In the wake of the film’s release, cinemagoers have been sharing footage of crowds watching the film, with certain moments prompting loud, vocal responses from the people in attendance.
One moment, which features prominently in the film’s trailer, sees Black and Momoa confronted in a boxing ring by a cuboid Minecraft chicken, who is ridden around the ring by another character. “Chicken jockey,” exclaims Black’s character, a reference to the video game that seems to be sending audiences wild.
Several videos captured by cinemagoers show audiences chanting the line along with Black, before whooping and clapping loudly. On social media, many people attested that they had witnessed, or participated in, similar outbursts.
“My theater 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 theater collectively yelled ‘CHICKEN JOCKEY’ during that moment and it was glorious ngl,” wrote another.
The ‘Chicken jockey’ scene in question (Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures)
“This is what made me love my experience more, bc even though the movie wasn’t as bad as i thought it was going to be, the packed cinema with everyone shouting, clapping and cheering whenever jack black name dropped something genuinely gave me so much joy,” commented someone else.
However, the phenomenon has drawn staunch criticism from others, with some claiming that audience participation had “ruined” the theatrical experience for them.
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“NO LITERALLY my friends and i’s entire movie experience got ruined by these kids yelling ‘/absolute cinema’ and clapping super aggressive. they would quote things constantly and it was just really annoying!!!! normalize movie theater etiquette!!!!” one person wrote.
“I’m going insane,” another wrote. “Am I the only one my person who despises movie screenings like this? If you’re cheering for something other than a meme, fine, but this is f***ing obnoxious.”
“We need to stop allowing this kind of behavior btw, cinema etiquette is nonexistent in America, don’t let it spread here,” someone else wrote, while another person quipped: “This feels like some weird cult.”
A Minecraft Movie is in cinemas now.
