Cinemas Are Canceling Screening Of ‘Minions: The Rise Of Gru’ Over #gentleminions Trend
Minions 2 is the fifth installment in the Despicable Me franchise, which shows no signs of slowing down in terms of audience appeal. The film broke box office records for the July 4th weekend, grossing more than $127 million domestically.
Unsurprisingly, the #gentleminions trend began on social media, and videos of the phenomenon went viral over the July 4th weekend. Meanwhile, cinemas are now canceling screenings over the same. Keep reading to know more.
Cinemas ban screenings of ‘Minions: The Rise Of Gru’
According to the BBC, a cinema in Guernsey, UK, canceled screenings for the Minions sequel due to “vandalism” and “bad behavior” from large groups. Mallard Cinema manager Daniel Phillips-Smith told the BBC that those who participated in the meme were mainly to blame. They claimed that these people “abused staff,” “threw things,” “swore,” and “argued against other cinemagoers.”
Phillips-Smith also stated that the disruptions forced them to issue large refunds and that the decision to pull the film was “heartbreaking.” However, it was necessary due to crowd control due to the sheer number of people and their uncontrollable behavior. He said:
“It’s been absolutely heart-breaking, we’ve had families who won’t even go back into the screen when we’ve tried to sort it out, families leaving before the film has even started and of course the children have been in tears.”
BBC also stated that the incident was reported to the local police. At the same time, the theatre has agreed to reopen the film once additional measures are put in place. It should also be noted that, given Guernsey’s size, the Mallard Cinema is the only cinema on the island.
This is the latest in a long line of cinematic protests against the #gentleminions trend.
Earlier this week, signs circulated on social media depicting local theatres announcing that anyone wearing formal attire will be banned from watching the children’s film. People reacted negatively to the ban, likening it to George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.
What are your thoughts on this issue? Let us know in the comments down below.
