Minions TikTok trend stirs up movie theater shenanigans
UK – A new TikTok trend has caused teens to go bananas, and some movie theaters to surprisingly enforce a dress code.
This trend is not so mellow yellow.
Minions: The Rise of Gru opened in theaters over the weekend, and its teen fans have showed up to see the film dressed to the nines.
The follow-up to 2015’s Despicable Me and its spinoff film Minions has inspired groups of mostly male teens to dub themselves "Gentleminions" and dress in formal suits to attend the film.
The attire is in the vein of the movie's supervillain, Gru, voiced by Steve Carrell.
The trend seems to have one goal – capturing it all for TikTok.
The suit-clad groups have often gotten rowdy while watching the movie – cheering and clapping like Gru, eating and throwing bananas at the screen in a nod to its yellow characters, and generally mimicking the Minion bunch.
But some movie theaters aren't on board with the merrymaking.
Minions TikTok trend causes some issues at the movie theater
Several movie theaters in the UK have reportedly taken measures against what they called "stunningly bad behavior" from the moviegoers, including alleged vandalism and abuse of staff in extreme cases.
Some theaters said they've had to give refunds to disturbed and disgruntled families with young kids, who claim they can't enjoy the film amid the ruckus.
While one theater stopped the movie from being shown all together, others have banned any unaccompanied minors wearing suits from attending.
TikTokers have creatively gotten around the suits ban by dressing up as other Minions characters.
Yet, those behind the film have actually encouraged the shenanigans.
"To everyone showing up to @Minions in suits: we see you and we love you," the film's producer Universal Studios tweeted.
Perhaps due in part to the trend, Minions: The Rise of Gru has become a hit, raking in $125 million at the box office on its 4-day Independence Day opening weekend.
Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/TikTok/martim__gonc & AMY SUSSMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP