‘Minecraft’ is a hit — and a mess

Cinemas are loving the money A Minecraft Movie is bringing in — but not the property damage.

The film earned $163m domestically last weekend, crushing the $146m three-day opening weekend record for a video game adaptation set in 2023 by The Super Mario Bros. Movie. (We’d say casting Jack Black is the key to a successful video game movie, but Borderlands tanked.)

Despite Minecraft’s commercial success, some theaters have banned unaccompanied minors thanks to a TikTok trend that has teens erupting in chaos — screaming, throwing popcorn and soda, damaging seats, etc. — during a “chicken jockey” scene in which Jason Momoa battles a zombie riding a chicken.

While it’s tempting to shake your head at kids these days, moviegoers have a long history of being unruly.

Like what?

The most obvious example — and the one to which people are drawing parallels — is 1975’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It wasn’t a box office hit, but did become a popular midnight movie thanks to an audience tradition of yelling out phrases, dressing up, bringing props, and singing along.

• It even appeared on box office charts in 2021, 46 years after its release, when it brought in $250k Halloween weekend.
• When Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, it ended a longtime policy allowing theaters to use its catalog for repertory screenings — but made an exception for Rocky Horror.

More recently…

… millennials locked onto 2003’s The Room, a low-budget drama that’s become a cult hit, with audiences throwing spoons during special screenings.

And in 2022, Gen Zers showed up in formal wear to watch Minions: The Rise of Gru. Again, TikTok played a role, with #Gentleminions racking up 5m+ views on the platform.

That sounds fun…

… but maybe not for people who own or work in theaters. The Minions movie grossed $940m+ worldwide — but some theaters banned guests in suits due to disruptive behavior.

So, how does a theater capitalize on a rowdy cult film while still maintaining its sanity?

• Alamo Drafthouse’s special Rowdy Screenings allow audience participation — like singing along to Cats — but still ban side conversations and making a mess.
• Many Rocky Horror screenings have rules about what and where objects can be thrown and eject guests who disobey.

Of course, previous generations didn’t have TikTok followers to impress. Good luck, cinemas!