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Axios
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
"A Minecraft Movie" brings chicken jockey chaos to Utah theaters
"A Minecraft Movie" has brought chicken jockey chaos to Utah, with a moviegoer in Provo sneaking a live chicken into a screening. The big picture: As audiences stampede to the biggest box office hit of the year (so far), one scene is prompting near-riots, per now-viral videos of audiences screaming, throwing food and drinks, removing clothing and chicken-fighting in front of the big screen. Friction point: A Provo theater stopped the projector and hit the lights last week when a patron brought a live chicken and held it aloft as other fans shot confetti guns and threw popcorn around it, footage shows. Video from Heber City shows a similar eruption in the crowd. How it works: Audiences have been chanting and cheering along with their favorite characters throughout the movie, but the biggest reaction is generally reserved for when Jack Black shouts the line, "Chicken jockey!" The latest: Some theaters around the country are playing warnings and requiring adults to accompany kids . Others have set up special screenings for audience participation. Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres, for example, have hired extra security and play a message that reads: "We are aware of the TikTok trends associated with A Mincecraft Movie. Please know that those who disrupt our guests and damage our theater will be escorted out of the theater immediately by police. We will press charges for any damage to our property." Director Jared Hess has said he enjoyed the enthusiasm; Black attended a screening and told the audience not to throw popcorn, the publication Hollywood Handle posted on X. Catch up quick: Utah has a number of ties to the movie.
Los Angeles Times
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Jack Black says hold the popcorn: ‘Minecraft' fans get a message about messy ‘chicken jockey' trend
Jack Black delivers the viral 'chicken jockey' line in 'A Minecraft Movie,' but he doesn't sign off on the chaotic fan behavior surrounding it in theaters and on social media. The comedian and 'School of Rock' star surprised moviegoers at a showing of 'Minecraft' over the weekend and encouraged them to be on their best behavior, according to video shared Sunday by the Hollywood Handle. Disguising his voice as that of a theater spokesperson, Black can be heard telling fans 'for today's presentation of 'A Minecraft Movie,' please no throwing popped corn.' 'And also no lapis lazuli. And absolutely no...,' he continues his message before, screaming, 'chicken jockeys!' In the video, Black introduces himself to the group of young, excited moviegoers. 'I am Steve,' he tells them, referencing his character in Warner Bros.' film adaptation of the popular video game franchise. Black also shows off his prop pickax and runs across the theater hyping up fans before the showing starts. So what was the deal with his popcorn disclaimer? The 'Kung Fu Panda' star encouraged audience members to restrain themselves after several videos showed 'Minecraft' viewers at various showings throwing objects, screaming and loudly cheering during a viral scene. In the film, which premiered earlier this month, Black and Jason Momoa's characters find themselves in the middle of a boxing ring. Their foe, in true 'Minecraft' fashion, is a blocky baby zombie riding a cubist chicken: a 'chicken jockey,' as Black's Steve properly notes. Since its creation more than a decade ago, the 'Minecraft' franchise has spawned countless memes among fans and the rare combination of a chicken and a zombie in the game is among those inside jokes. The movie's nod to that bit of fan lore only took the meme to the next level. In several viral social media videos, moviegoers break out into chaos during the 'chicken jockey' scene: They flash their phone lights, launch their popcorn and drinks toward the screen and scream throughout the fight sequence. In one video, a masked audience member can be seen holding a live chicken as they sit atop another moviegoer's shoulders. As a result of the raucous crowds, theater workers — often left to deal with the messy aftermath — are also tasked with encouraging moviegoers to avoid throwing objects at the screen. Police officials have been recruited to escort some audience members out for their behavior. Beyond the chaos of 'chicken jockey,' some 'Minecraft' viewers have also personalized their showings with preshow speeches. 'It's been way too fun,' director Jared Hess told Entertainment Weekly. Hess, who directed Black in 'Nacho Libre' and broke out with 'Napoleon Dynamite,' said he didn't see the harm in the trend and finds it funny 'that cops are getting called for popcorn.' 'I'm just glad people are making memories with their friends and families,' he said. On its opening weekend, 'A Minecraft Movie' earned a record-breaking $157-million domestic and $144-million overseas. A clear winner amid Hollywood's continued push for video game adaptations, the action-comedy bested 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' for the highest-performing video game film adaptation. In her review, Times critic Amy Nicholson wrote that 'A Minecraft Movie' was 'essentially a meathead version of 'The Wizard of Oz.' ' The film stars Black, Momoa, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers and Danielle Brooks.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A moviegoer brought a live chicken to a Minecraft screening for viral 'chicken jockey' freak-out
If you go to a sold-out screening of A Minecraft Movie, there is a chance your theater will devolve into pandemonium at the sight of a "chicken jockey." A viral scene from the hit video game adaptation where Jason Momoa fights a baby zombie riding a chicken as Jack Black dubs the blocky duo the "chicken jockey" has inspired a pretty bizarre (and occasionally messy/disruptive) social media trend. During screenings, theaters of young moviegoers will erupt once Black says his "chicken jockey" line, sometimes throwing popcorn into the air and loudly cheering as if their favorite sports team just won the Super Bowl on a walk-off Hail Mary touchdown in overtime. While most of the celebrations have been pretty harmless, others have left some patrons ejected for their behavior and theater workers having to clean up gigantic popcorn messes from inconsiderate audience members. In one screening ... somebody apparently brought a live chicken. Yes, an actual chicken. Someone brought an actual Chicken to 'A MINECRAFT MOVIE' screening. — The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) April 9, 2025 Why did somebody bring a chicken to a movie theater??? As theaters install stricter rules on audience behavior during A Minecraft Movie screenings, these "chicken jockey" freak-outs will be a bit harder to pull off. Having fun at a movie is one thing; trashing the joint and getting livestock involved change the conversation. Surely there's a balance where folks can have a rowdy time in designated fan interaction screenings if they wish ... without making an unnecessary mess for somebody to clean up or bringing in a live animal to a movie theater for your TikTok post. We hope that chicken is back and safe in the chicken coop after what we are sure was a terrifying evening away from the farm. This article originally appeared on For The Win: A moviegoer brought a live chicken to a Minecraft screening for viral 'chicken jockey' freak-out
