Some theaters in the United Kingdom are banning groups of well-dressed but poorly behaved teenagers from seeing the newly-released movie “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
Complaints from moviegoers and requests for refunds have spurred the theaters to refuse entry to the teens who are following a trend believed to have started on TikTok with the name #gentleminions, according to The Telegraph.
The trend involves large groups of teenage boys dressed in suits, who call themselves The Gentleminions. The teens film themselves as they go to watch the movie, which is the latest installment in the “Despicable Me” movie franchise.
Theater owners say the teenagers have become rowdy, yelling during the movie, throwing things in the theater and harassing theater employees.
According to The Independent, a theater in Cornwall aiming to curb the requests for refunds from other patrons has banned any unaccompanied children wearing suits from watching the movie there.
The Regal theater said it is banning teens wearing suits “due to the issues we have encountered over the last two days and its associated behaviour.”
Several theaters across the UK have issued a ban, according to The Guardian.
Videos posted with the gentleminions hashtag have shown the groups copying the main character, supervillain Felonius Gru, and his signature hand gesture.
Universal Pictures, the movie studio that produced the film, encouraged the groups, saying on Twitter: “to everyone showing up to @Minions in suits: we see you and we love you.”
The movie grossed $108 million on its opening weekend.
I love being gen z. We have so much power😭💀💀🤌🏼 #tiktok #MinionsTheRiseOfGru #Minions #gentleminions pic.twitter.com/2OUarPhubj
— Mr. Worldwide (@FairiesUnite) July 2, 2022
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