‘Chicken Jockey’ Chaos: ‘Minecraft Movie’ screenings Descend Into Mayhem, Sparking Debate
LOS ANGELES — The highly anticipated “A Minecraft Movie,” a big-screen adaptation of the wildly popular video game “Minecraft,” has become a box office smash, grossing over $557 million worldwide. however,it’s success has been accompanied by a wave of disruptive behavior in theaters across the United States,raising concerns about the impact of social media trends on public spaces and igniting a debate about acceptable audience participation.
Since its release this month, videos circulating on platforms like TikTok and Instagram show young moviegoers reacting exuberantly to a specific scene featuring actor Jack Black yelling the phrase “Chicken Jockey!” The scene depicts a bizarre creature—a small, Frankenstein-esque figure—riding a chicken in a boxing ring, facing off against Jason Momoa’s character.
this particular moment has resonated deeply with fans,triggering reactions ranging from excited screams and shouts to more problematic actions like throwing popcorn and jumping on seats. in one reported incident in Provo,Utah,a live chicken was tossed into the air during a screening,according to the Salt Lake Tribune,underscoring the intensity of the phenomenon.
The Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Sandy Springs, Georgia, told FOX 5 Atlanta that its staff has been overwhelmed with the task of cleaning up popcorn, ICEEs, ketchup, and shattered glass following screenings of the film.
“The movie-going experience has changed a lot since I was younger,” Josh Gunderson, director of marketing and events at Oviedo mall in Florida, told FOX Business. “And TikTok has changed that quite a bit.”
Raymond Arroyo, a Fox News contributor and host of the “Arroyo Grande” podcast, weighed in on the situation, expressing mixed feelings. “There’s a part of me that says this is just dumb fun,” Arroyo said. “There’s another part of me [that says] for the poor people who are there at the movie theaters having to clean up this mess, it’s a disaster.”
Arroyo also raised concerns about safety.”Anytime you get 200 young boys in a room, and they’re all yelling and jumping in 20 directions, it’s sort of like, you know, a social media ‘Lord of the Flies,’ that’s what this is. And I get why they’re calling in the cops. I get why some theater chains are saying you can only come with a parent because you can’t have that kind of mayhem every day and at every showing.”
Despite the disruptions, Arroyo acknowledged the underlying passion driving the behavior. “I think, if anything, it shows the deep passion and the connection that these boys feel to this video game, and thus they’ve carried over to the movie. And that’s part of the reason it’s such a big hit.”
Jared hess, the movie’s director, told Entertainment Weekly that he found the chaotic screenings amusing, though he admitted some reactions were excessive. “It’s been way too fun. People are sending me these really hilarious speeches that a lot of teenagers are giving right before the movie. It’s so hysterical, man. I’m staying up way too late,” hess said.
Regarding instances where police were called, Hess commented, “It’s weird when you’re having too much fun and the cops get called…It’s funny because I think it’s just literally cheering and throwing popcorn, which is so funny to me that cops are getting called for popcorn. Yeah, it’s hilarious. I’ve seen so many funny videos. It’s great, especially when people are climbing on their friends’ shoulders and standing up and cheering for those moments. It’s like this crazy anticipation. But,man,I’m just glad people are making memories with their friends and families.”
Arroyo drew parallels to the participatory nature of midnight screenings of “The rocky Horror Picture Show” or sing-alongs to “Grease,” emphasizing that audience engagement isn’t inherently negative. Though,he cautioned against actions that cause damage or endanger others.
“Singing along or clapping in unison or doing silly things at a certain point in a movie everybody knows and loves… throwing popcorn, throwing live chickens, throwing the guy next to you up into the air, I’m not sure that’s the best way forward,” Arroyo said. “If there can be a more contained audience participation,I think everybody would be on board. But the moment you are [causing] a mess and injuring people, that turns into something very different, and I get why they don’t want to tolerate that.It shouldn’t be tolerated.”
The incidents have prompted some theaters to implement stricter policies, including increased security and parental escort requirements for younger viewers. The long-term impact of these disruptions on the movie-going experience remains to be seen,but the “Chicken Jockey” phenomenon has undoubtedly sparked a conversation about the boundaries of acceptable behavior in public spaces and the role of social media in amplifying cultural trends.
