A recent screening of A Minecraft Movie at The Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks, Kent, was disrupted by a group of teenagers engaging in a disruptive TikTok trend, leading to their ejection from the cinema. This incident marked a rare occasion for the theatre, as management noted it had not been necessary to pause a film to remove patrons for many years.

The disturbance was linked to the “Chicken Jockey” trend popular on TikTok, which involves users recording themselves shouting out during specific moments of the film, particularly when a character known as Chicken Jockey appears. In A Minecraft Movie, Jack Black voices the character Steve, who calls out the name Chicken Jockey, prompting some audience members to mimic this in a rowdy manner.

Deputy Chief Executive Tony McEwen remarked that the essence of attending a cinema is the shared experience of enjoyment, emphasizing the importance of not ruining that experience for others. He stated, “The point of a cinema or a theatre is that you can come and you can get your entertainment socially and part of being social is not ruining it for everyone else.” McEwen expressed a desire to maintain a friendly environment at the cinema, particularly given its reliance on repeat visitors, primarily families.

The incident unfolded as the teenagers became overly enthusiastic, cheering and jeering during the film. After requests for them to calm down were ignored, the situation escalated to the point where staff had no choice but to pause the film and ask the group to leave. McEwen explained the cinema’s procedures, noting, “Unfortunately the very much last recourse of anything like this is you pause the film, and they have to endure the angry glares of the rest of the auditorium of people whose lives they have been upsetting during the course of the film and then, eventually, they leave.”

Despite the mixed reviews of A Minecraft Movie, which has been described as “hectic” and “exhausting” by critics, it has continued to attract audiences during the Easter holiday period. Other cinemas, such as Cineworld, appear to have embraced the Chicken Jockey trend by hosting special screenings while also encouraging respectful behaviour among viewers. In contrast, The Stag Theatre has taken a firmer stance in its efforts to maintain decorum during screenings.

The phenomenon of Chicken Jockey, a character that features a zombie riding a chicken, continues to engage audiences in both digital platforms and cinema experiences. McEwen, reflecting on the incident, suggested that cinema operators should remain vigilant as social media trends evolve and impact viewer behaviour.

Source: Noah Wire Services