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Some UK cinemas have banned groups of young people wearing suits during screenings of Minions: The Rise Of Gru.
The decision comes after some young moviegoers were criticised for rowdy behaviour after a viral trend erupted on the social media app TikTok.
The trend involves large groups of teenage boys, who call themselves The Gentleminions, filming themselves going to watch the latest instalment in the Despicable Me franchise dressed in suits.
It is not clear where the trend originated but the #gentleminions videos show suited groups attending the screenings and copying the main character, supervillain Felonius Gru, and his signature hand gesture.
In the videos, which have racked up millions of views on the app, groups can be seen celebrating “the five-year wait is over”.
Some even took bananas to snack on during the screenings, referencing the favourite food of Gru’s yellow helpers, called Minions.
Some of the viral videos show those taking part cheering and clapping loudly and being disruptive during screenings, leading to some UK cinemas to enforce dress code restrictions.
One independent cinema in Wadebridge, Cornwall, has banned any unaccompanied children who are wearing suits from watching the film.
In a statement posted on Twitter, The Regal wrote: “We are currently not admitting unaccompanied children wearing suits for ‘Minions: The Rise Of Gru’.
“This is due to the issues we have encountered over the last two days and it’s associated behaviour.”
A spokesperson for Odeon cinemas told the PA news agency: “Due to a small number of incidents in our cinemas over the weekend we have had to restrict access in some circ*mstances.”
Movie studio Universal Pictures, which produced the film, has endorsed the #gentleminions trend, tweeting “to everyone showing up to @Minions in suits: we see you and we love you”.
As an expert and enthusiast in the field of film culture and social media trends, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to shed light on the recent phenomenon surrounding the movie "Minions: The Rise Of Gru." My extensive background in cinema studies and cultural trends allows me to analyze and interpret the various aspects of this unique situation.
The evidence presented in the article suggests that a group of young moviegoers, self-identified as "The Gentleminions," has sparked a viral trend on the social media platform TikTok. This trend involves large groups of teenage boys dressing in suits to attend screenings of the latest installment in the Despicable Me franchise. The participants mimic the main character, supervillain Felonius Gru, and his signature hand gesture, creating a spectacle that has gained millions of views on TikTok.
The videos showcase the groups celebrating the end of a five-year wait for the film, with some even bringing bananas as snacks, a reference to the favorite food of Gru's yellow helpers, the Minions. However, the celebratory nature of these gatherings has led to rowdy behavior in some cases, as depicted in the viral videos. This disruptive behavior during screenings has prompted some UK cinemas to take action and enforce dress code restrictions.
One notable example is an independent cinema in Wadebridge, Cornwall, named The Regal, which has banned unaccompanied children wearing suits from watching "Minions: The Rise Of Gru." The cinema cited issues and associated disruptive behavior over the past two days as the reason for this decision. Additionally, major cinema chain Odeon has acknowledged a small number of incidents over the weekend, leading them to restrict access in certain circ*mstances.
Surprisingly, the movie studio Universal Pictures, which produced the film, has endorsed the #gentleminions trend. In a tweet, they acknowledged and expressed love for everyone showing up to watch "Minions" in suits. This endorsem*nt from the studio adds an interesting layer to the situation, as it contrasts with the actions taken by some cinemas to address the disruptive behavior associated with the trend.
In summary, the convergence of social media trends, cinema culture, and the unexpected endorsem*nt from the movie studio has created a unique and polarizing situation around the release of "Minions: The Rise Of Gru." This case highlights the evolving relationship between audience engagement, viral trends, and the efforts of cinemas to maintain a positive movie-watching experience.
