The words “chicken jockey” from A Minecraft Movie are sparking mayhem among moviegoers, causing at least one movie theater to speak out and institute a new policy for the movie’s teenage fanbase.
The “chicken jockey” rallying cry pops up in the film before Jason Momoa’s character, Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, fights a child zombie who rides a chicken aka a “chicken jockey.”
Jack Black’s character, Steve, calls out the “chicken jockey” line, which is the cue for teen fans to fly into a frenzy, with TikTok videos showing many screaming, throwing popcorn and sending soda through the air inside movie theaters.
In response to the chaos, the Township Theatre in Washington Township, New Jersey, shared in a Facebook post that it would now require kids and teens to be accompanied by an adult for future showings of A Minecraft Movie.
“Large groups of unsupervised boys engaged in completely unacceptable behavior, including vandalism. We also received multiple complaints from other moviegoers who were trying to enjoy the film with their families,” the theater wrote in part. “Moving forward: Any minors wishing to see The Minecraft Movie MUST be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Unaccompanied groups of boys will not be admitted.”
David Rose, co-owner of Township Theatre, said the new rule came after the theater manager reached out.
“The manager called us and said that the theater was in bad shape. He said, ‘Well, it’s a terrible mess. There is lotion squirted all over the place and there’s a row of seats that have been pulled out of the floor,’” Rose recounted.
A Minecraft Movie, based on the 2011 video game, was an instant hit, grossing over $163 million during opening weekend and becoming the biggest of 2025 so far.