Cinemas react to A Minecraft Movie trend

Cinemas have been tackling a trend that sees fans noisily celebrate when a certain character appears during a new film.

A Minecraft Movie, based on one of the world's best-selling video games, is currently in cinemas and some fans have been excitedly shouting and throwing popcorn when the character Chicken Jockey appears.

While some cinemas have been critical of the behaviour, others have embraced it.

Gareth Boggis, general manager of Abbeygate Cinema in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, said it had been great to see the film had attracted a range of ages.

"We've seen lots of excitement and audiences that are really engaging with it, so joining in at times, clapping and shouting, stuff like that," he explained.

"But thankfully, very little of the real sort of disturbances.

"We've seen a bit of popcorn being thrown, but that's not completely out of the way for family films anyway."

The throwing of popcorn and shouting in relation to Chicken Jockey has become a popular TikTok trend.

The film stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black and Jennifer Coolidge, and made an estimated $300m (£233m) globally at the box office on its opening weekend.

"Sometimes these trends can be really fun - we've had people that have come in dressed up for things or taking part in them; it's just when they become a bit silly and anti-social that you hope that they don't get copied completely," Mr Boggis added.

He said the cinema would not be holding special screenings in case it "encourages people to act even more weirdly and wonderfully".

Cineworld has invited fans to "whoop, yelp, clap, shout 'Chicken Jockey', and dress up" as their favourite Minecraft characters during a special one-day event on 13 April across many of its cinemas, including at its Ipswich branch

However it warned fans there would be "no throwing, no mess and no filming the screen".

The Riverside cinema in Woodbridge described the trend as "plaguing cinemas across the country" in a social media post.

"Any disturbances during the film e.g. clapping or shouting will not be tolerated," it said.

"Additionally, any filming within the auditorium is strictly prohibited.

"Please allow everyone to enjoy the film-going experience."

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