Minions: Rise Of Gru Being Taken Out Of Theaters Because Of TikTok Trend?
A particularly odd TikTok trend is causing showings of the blockbuster Minions: Rise of Gru to get canceled.
Sometimes, we just can’t have nice things. Going to theaters to watch your favorite characters on screen is a time-honored tradition dating back nearly a century. There is just something about experiencing a film for the first time on the big screen. Being present for a possible life-changing moment for you, and many others in the auditorium. Traditions like popcorn, candy, surround sound, and more draw millions to the cinemas every week. However, some traditions are ruined by a smaller group of cinemagoers who ruin the experience for others. Cinemas in the United Kingdom have experienced negative fan enthusiasm for the newest animated feature, Minions: Rise of Gru.
Just off the coast of Normandy is an island in the English Channel called Guernsey. Since it is a small island with a population of less than 63,000, there are not a lot of cinemas. In fact, BBC reports that their only theater has decided to cancel their showings of Minions: Rise of Gru due to stunningly bad behavior. Many showings involved patrons throwing things, cursing, and abusing staff before the film started. While bad behavior is inevitable when showing films catering to younger audiences, this film does due to an unlikely development.
One of the enjoyable traditions for bigger fanbases is to attend opening night dressed as your favorite character. Superhero movies like The Avengers, Wonder Woman, and Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness inspired people to wear their hero’s costumes. Fantasy films like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter also brought creative costumes out to play. Minions: Rise of Gru rose to a new level in the United Kingdom, sparking a TikTok trend. The trend rose under the hashtag #Gentleminions. It involves groups of teenagers attending the movie dressed in suits and other formal clothing. They put on their best impression of the anti-hero. They even interact with the film by clapping, cheering, and sitting with the character’s iconic steepled hand position. While it is well-intentioned, some theaters have had problems with aggressively bad behavior. Here are some examples of the trend being relatively benign:
@sebjohn1904 Boys pulled up #gru #minions #suit #suitedandbooted #fyp #riseofgru #movie ♬ original sound – House of Highlights
@_.itzvan_ issa vibe #tiktoksg #minions #suit #kingbob #fyp ♬ Rich Minion – Yeat
The impact of this behavior caused some significant damage to the theater as they have been forced to give refunds to patrons whose experience was ruined. Daniel Phillips-Smith, manager of the theater, claims the refunds numbered nearly 200 across the opening weekend. He called the development “heart-breaking.” He says he has never had to pull a film but felt he needed to as families refused to go back into the theater after the disruptions and the sight of children crying because they could not see Minions: Rise of Gru as promised. Phillips-Smith had to go so far as to ban any unaccompanied minors in suits to avoid the problem further.
Universal Pictures tweeted out their support for the TikTok trend, telling fans showing up in suits that they are seen and loved. And other cinemagoers showed support for the teenagers seeing Minions: Rise of Gru in suits, calling the experience fun and more engaging. Even with the support from multiple places for the large majority of respectful fun, the few who engaged in abhorrent behavior forced theaters to protect the young children’s experience, some of whom were visiting a theater for the first time.
