'A Minecraft Movie' director speaks out on viral 'chicken jockey' trend
The director of "A Minecraft Movie" is speaking out about the film's viral "chicken jockey" trend, saying he sees no problems with the movie's teen fanbase having a passion for poultry.
"It's weird when you're having too much fun and the cops get called," Jared Hess told Entertainment Weekly. "I've seen so many funny videos. It's great ... I'm just glad people are making memories with their friends and families."
The "chicken jockey" rallying cry pops up in the film when Jason Momoa's character Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison fights a child zombie who rides a chicken -- aka a "chicken jockey."
The two words sparked mayhem among moviegoers, causing at least several movie theaters to speak out and some instituting a new policy for the movie's teenage fanbase.
Momoa reflected on filming the scene in a recent media interview.
"You remember in the movie when I'm fighting the chicken jockey, which is hilarious?" Momoa said. "Dude, the chicken's just like 'Bawk Bawk.' It hits its nose. I lost it, because they didn't have that in there when I was doing it."
Jack Black's character Steve calls out the "chicken jockey" line, and that's the cue for teen fans in the theater watching the movie to fly into a frenzy, with TikTok videos showing many screaming, throwing popcorn and sending soda through the air inside movie theaters.
In response to the chaos, the Township Theatre in Washington Township, New Jersey, shared in a Facebook post stating that it would now require kids and teens to be accompanied by an adult for future showings of "A Minecraft Movie."
"Large groups of unsupervised boys engaged in completely unacceptable behavior, including vandalism. We also received multiple complaints from other moviegoers who were trying to enjoy the film with their families," the theater wrote in part, adding, "Moving forward: Any minors wishing to see The Minecraft Movie MUST be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Unaccompanied groups of boys will not be admitted."
David Rose, co-owner of Township Theatre, said the new rule came after the theater manager reached out.
"The manager called us and said that the theater was in bad shape. He said, 'Well, it's a terrible mess. There is lotion squirted all over the place and there's a row of seats that have been pulled out of the floor,'" Rose recounted.
Another movie theater chain, Megaplex, now also features a disclaimer for the hit 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," the disclaimer reads.
"A Minecraft Movie," starring Black and Jason Momoa and based on the popular 2011 video game, has been an instant hit since its April 4 release, grossing over nearly $300 million since its opening weekend and becoming the biggest box office opening of the year so far, according to industry analysts.
