5 July 2022, 12:46 | Updated: 5 July 2022, 14:59
By Megan Hinton
Cinemas across the UK have banned groups of young people dress in suits from watching the new Minion's film 'The Rise Of Gru'.
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A viral trend erupted on the social media app which involves teenage boys filming themselves going to watch the new film, clad in suits and describing themselves as The Gentleminions.
The decision to ban large groups came after some cinema reported rowdy behaviour from the teens when in the screening.
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.
It it 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 saying "the five-year wait is over".
Some even took bananas to snack on during the screenings, referencing the favourite food of the Minions.
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I love being gen z. We have so much powerđđđđ€đŒ #tiktok #MinionsTheRiseOfGru #Minions #gentleminions pic.twitter.com/2OUarPhubj
â Mr. Worldwide (@FairiesUnite) July 2, 2022
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."
Adding: "Good afternoon Wadebridge, following the large numbers of unaccompanied children who attended last night to watch âMinions: The Rise Of Gruâ (U), we would like to please ask parents to remind their children of some etiquette:
"Mobile phones and devices are not allowed to be used during the film, they will be politely asked to put them away.
"Please be respectful to the staff and other paying customers, if they shout / scream or throw items at other customers they will be asked to leave.
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"We would also ask that they do not jump up and down / put their feet on the back of the seat in front of them.
"We love to see young people coming to the cinema and enjoying movies, and do not want to appear as killjoys, but we do enforce some boundaries of acceptable behaviour."
A spokesperson for Odeon cinemas said: "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".
Whilst a manager of a Vue Cinema in Worcester said they were forced to issue ÂŁ1,300 worth of refunds in one day due to complaints.
The Gentleminions TikTok trend is insane pic.twitter.com/68xpeeorB6
â Ed Barnes (@edbarnesjourno) July 3, 2022
They said: "The trend cost me ÂŁ1,300 yesterday. I had to refund all of the tickets in that theatre because of kids shouting and mimicking the minions while the film was playing.
"It was a group of about eight kids. Now, when we see any kids coming in to see the film dressed up we give them a warning."
"We tell them that if there is one complaint, whatever that may be, they will be kicked out of the cinema.
"Itâs something being implemented across a lot of cinemas, I have colleagues in Cheltenham who I know have had problems as well."
As a film enthusiast with a deep understanding of cinema culture and trends, I can shed light on the intriguing phenomenon discussed in the article dated July 5, 2022, by Megan Hinton. The article delves into a captivating viral trend on the social media app TikTok, where young boys are dressing in suits to attend screenings of the new Minion's film, "The Rise Of Gru," referring to themselves as "The Gentleminions."
This trend has led to cinemas across the UK taking action, banning large groups of young people dressed in suits from watching the film due to reported rowdy behavior. The videos posted on TikTok show these groups imitating the main character, supervillain Felonius Gru, and his signature hand gesture, often accompanied by loud cheering and disruptive behavior during screenings.
Some cinemas have enforced dress code restrictions in response to this trend, with one independent cinema in Wadebridge, Cornwall, going as far as banning unaccompanied children wearing suits from watching the film. The decision was prompted by issues encountered over the past two days related to the behavior of such groups.
The article also highlights specific incidents, such as a Vue Cinema in Worcester issuing ÂŁ1,300 worth of refunds in one day due to complaints related to the trend. The manager recounts having to refund all tickets in a particular theater because of disruptive behavior, including shouting and mimicking the Minions.
Interestingly, the movie studio Universal Pictures, the producer of the film, has endorsed the #gentleminions trend, expressing appreciation for those participating in the unique cinematic experience.
This cultural phenomenon not only reflects the power and influence of social media trends, especially on platforms like TikTok, but also raises questions about the balance between creative fan engagement and maintaining a conducive environment for all cinema-goers. The article provides a snapshot of how a seemingly harmless trend can impact the cinema experience and lead to measures being taken by theaters to address disruptive behavior associated with it.
