What is a ‘chicken jockey’?

Minecraft is a game about creativity and construction, but some audiences of A Minecraft Movie seem more interested in destruction.

The Warner Bros. Pictures video game adaptation has raked in well over $150 million domestically in its opening weekend, and projections are looking good for its future at the box office. While that’s good for theaters, it’s proven to be, well, less good for their employees, who’ve been forced to contend with crowds of rowdy, popcorn-chucking teens. Gentleminions, these are not.

If you’re planning on attending a screening, you may want to brush up on the Minecraft controversy that’s got everyday moviegoers nervous about their next trip to the cinema. (Must you really know what a “chicken jockey” is to be part of the fun?)

Read on for everything you need to know about the Minecraft Movie controversy.

Why are theaters cracking down on Minecraft audiences?

Since the theatrical release of Minecraft last Friday, dozens of videos have hit social media showing young audiences hooting, hollering, jumping from their seats, and throwing popcorn during certain scenes. One, in particular, features Jack Black’s Steve yelling, “Chicken jockey!” after a Minecraftian zombie child appears atop a square-headed chicken.

Reactions have been so frenzied that a handful of theaters have taken action to mitigate the madness. New Jersey’s Township Theatre, for example, mandated that minors seeing the film “MUST be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult,” per a post on the cinema’s Facebook account, citing “completely unacceptable behavior, including vandalism” by “large groups of unsupervised boys.”

This isn’t just a U.S. issue, either. The BBC reports that a Cineworld in West Oxfordshire is warning audiences against what it calls “anti-social behavior.”

In a statement to the BBC, the theater said, “To make sure everyone has a blast, we ask that all cinemagoers respect cinema etiquette. For fans wanting to whoop, yelp and clap their way through this block-busting adventure, we have created special Chicken Jockey 4DX screenings at Cineworld cinemas nationwide.” (Yep, they’re doing special screenings specifically for the rascals.)

According to Anchorage Daily News, a group of around 15 moviegoers was ejected from The Valley Cinema screening in Wasilla, Ala., by police.

A clip from YouTuber Danny Rayes highlights the destruction caused by A Minecraft Movie audiences throwing popcorn and other concessions during screenings. He encourages viewers to consider the theater employees who have to clean up the mess. It currently has more than 1 million views.

Did somebody really bring a live chicken to A Minecraft Movie?

It sure looks like it.

A video making the rounds on social media depicts a masked audience member hoisting up what appears to be a live chicken during the “chicken jockey” scene in A Minecraft Movie.

What is a “chicken jockey”?

If you have to ask, you’re clearly not a Minecraft fan.

First, let’s explain the scene in the movie. Jason Momoa’s Garrett “the Garbage Man” Garrison enters a match to square off against a chicken. Above the ring, a hatch opens, releasing a child zombie that rides the chicken like a horse. This is what prompts Steve to yell, “Chicken jockey!”

The line is a reference to the game, in which chickens will occasionally find themselves with a zombie rider. It’s like when superhero fans see a detail from a comic book manifest in a Marvel movie — or when Fast & Furious devotees hear Vin Diesel say something about “family.” We all have our favorite hallmarks. (Granted, most fans are content to react with a laugh or nod rather than a touchdown celebration.)

“Chicken jockey,” though, isn’t the only Minecraft moment driving audiences wild. Black’s introduction as Steve, for example, tends to get audiences cheering, as do deliveries of lines like, “Water bucket, release!” and “This is a crafting table!”

What does A Minecraft Movie‘s director think about the audience reaction?

A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess has seen the viral clips like the rest of us.

“It’s been so bananas,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s been way too fun. People are sending me these really hilarious speeches that a lot of teenagers are giving right before the movie. It’s so hysterical, man. I’m staying up way too late.”

And while the madness is certainly unwieldy, he finds the policing of screenings to be a bit much. “It’s weird when you’re having too much fun and the cops get called,” he added. “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. Yeah, it’s hilarious. I’ve seen so many funny videos. It’s great, especially when people are climbing on their friends’ shoulders and standing up and cheering for those moments. It’s like this crazy anticipation. But, man, I’m just glad people are making memories with their friends and families.”

Speaking to the joys of the communal moviegoing experience, he said, “I’m just so happy that people are finding joy in going back to cinemas and seeing things as a community, as a group of people. It’s like we’ve become so isolated on our devices, and it’s just fun to experience things as a group of human beings. I think people are starved for that experience. So it’s fun that they’ve found it in this goofy movie that we’ve made.”

Where can I watch A Minecraft Movie?

A Minecraft Movie is currently playing in theaters.

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