‘Minecraft’ Movie Madness: Chicken Jockeys, Popcorn Fights, and Growing Concerns Over Kids’ Rowdy Theater Antics

America’s movie theaters have turned into something between a block party and a battleground, thanks to the runaway success of "A Minecraft Movie." Since its release this month, the film has been drawing massive crowds of kids and teens who are, let’s just say, making their presence known.

On social media, videos are blowing up showing young fans losing their minds over one particularly viral scene: Jack Black’s character shouts "Chicken Jockey!" as a bizarre creature leaps onto a chicken in a boxing ring to face off with Jason Momoa. The crowd response? Screams, shouts, popcorn flying everywhere, and in one Utah case that’s already hit local headlines, a live chicken got tossed into the air mid-screening. (If you ever doubted the power of meme culture, here’s your proof.)

Theater staff are not exactly living their best lives right now. In Georgia, employees at the Springs Cinema & Taphouse have had to mop up popcorn, ICEEs, ketchup, and even broken glass after showings. The director of marketing at Florida’s Oviedo Mall, Josh Gunderson, said the movie-going experience has changed dramatically in the TikTok era, and it’s hard to disagree when you see what’s happening in lobbies across the country.

Raymond Arroyo, a Fox News contributor, summed up the chaos: "It’s sort of like a social media ‘Lord of the Flies,’" he said, noting the safety risks when hundreds of hyped-up kids are jumping and yelling. Some theaters are so over it, they’re requiring kids to be accompanied by parents, and in a few cases, police have even been called to break up the mayhem.

Despite the wildness, Arroyo also pointed out that the passion behind all this is rooted in a deep connection with the game itself. That’s likely why the movie has already raked in a staggering $557 million worldwide, with much of the hype fueled by clips and memes from the film lighting up TikTok and Instagram.

Director Jared Hess appears to be taking it all in stride, calling the chaos "way too fun" and laughing about videos of teenagers giving rousing speeches before screenings. But even he admits it’s a bit surreal to see police called over popcorn-throwing, joking that cheering fans are just making memories with their friends.

Not everyone’s laughing, though. Arroyo believes there’s a line between audience engagement and outright disruption. He compared the scene to midnight showings of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"—but drew the line at throwing live chickens or friends into the air. A little wildness is fine, he says, but the world isn’t your rec room, and at some point, kids need to learn how to rein it in.

Jack Black himself even got in on the action, popping up at a Los Angeles screening with a public service announcement: "Please no throwing popped corn, and also no lapis lazuli… and absolutely no chicken jockeys!" You know things have gone off the rails when the star has to beg kids not to toss around mineral blocks from the game.

To manage the excitement, Regal Cinemas is offering "Chicken Jockey" screenings where dressing up and yelling are fine, but going "full Creeper"—i.e., breaking stuff or endangering others—is a no-go. It’s a creative attempt at crowd control, if nothing else.

Bigger picture, Arroyo sees the Minecraft mania as part of a broader cultural shift: video game stories are overtaking superheroes at the box office, with the success of "Mario Bros," "The Last of Us," and "Fallout" leading the charge. For a generation raised on headsets and block-building, these movies are more than just entertainment—they’re a communal ritual and a validation of their daily lives.

But as Arroyo warns, that doesn’t mean anything goes. Kids need boundaries, even if the world of Minecraft is all about breaking blocks.