As chaos erupts in theaters, Regal is taking advantage of A Minecraft Movie‘s viral trend. Despite concerns about poor responses from critics, the movie enjoyed a $313 million opening worldwide, prompting Warner Bros. executives to confirm that A Minecraft Movie 2 has entered the early stages of development. The movie’s success is partly because of its connection to viral online trends, which have seen audiences screaming, throwing popcorn, and even bringing live chickens into the theater to celebrate the appearance of a Chicken Jockey.
Having seen the movie’s viral success, Regal is planning a one-night event for Sunday, April 20, in which audiences are encouraged to dress as Minecraft characters and then to erupt into action as the chicken jockey appears on-screen. They are permitted to scream, clap, and chant “Chicken Jockey!” as it debuts. It will be a 4DX augmented reality event, which the theater promises will “level up” the experience of witnessing the movie. Check out their announcement below:
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What A Minecraft Movie’s Special Regal Screening Means
Theaters Are Beginning To Capitalize On The Craze
Theaters have been struggling this year, as few movies have managed to capture widespread attention. The Alto Knights, Snow White, and Mickey 17 proved to be mᴀssive disappointments, while Ne Zha 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Wicked were the only major exceptions that were able to draw viewership early on. It took until A Minecraft Movie‘s April release to see viewers return to theaters in droves. It is now the first 2025 movie to cross the $200 million threshold domestically, and it now looks to continue its incredible run through its second weekend.
The ease of streaming has made it more difficult for theaters to draw viewers.
The online trend of creating chaos during the Chicken Jockey scene has been troubling for theater workers, who are often left to clean up the mess, but it has been a much-needed change for the theaters themselves. Viewers who erupt into noise during the screenings are still attending the showings at a time in which theaters have been struggling. Regal’s decision to capitalize on that viral trend should come as no surprise, as augmented reactions are exactly what online influencers have been looking to generate in each show.
Our Take On Regal’s A Minecraft Movie Showing
Best Of Luck To The Theater Workers
As fun as it might be to attend one of these showings, it is risky to prompt audiences to follow this online trend. After all, the trend has resulted in viewers trashing theaters by throwing gigantic bags of popcorn, bringing live chickens, and throwing drinks. The showing could be an attempt to contain the responses to one showroom, but it still leaves workers in a precarious position, as the theater chain is encouraging viewers to have these strong reactions. Regal is rightfully pleased with A Minecraft Movie‘s success, but it should be cautious about the Chicken Jockey showings.
Source: Regal/Twitter
