On Movie Theatre Etiquette

Chicken Jockey. These words strike fear in theatre-employees' hearts. Over the past two weeks, I've seen countless videos from screenings of A Minecraft Movie where fans in the theatre throw everything they have when Jack Black says these two absurd words. I don't know what causes adolescent people to go bananas when they hear "chicken jockey," but I worry about the sanity of my beloved theatre employees. What I do know is that Minecraft is the most viral movie of 2025, so far, earning over $550-million at the box office in two weeks and spawning hours of social-media fodder.

This virality provides an ideal chance to have a discussion about theatre etiquette. If you keep up with Hollywood business trends, then you're probably aware that apart from big "event" movies, such as Barbenheimer in 2023 and Minecraft currently, movie theatres have struggled to bring their attendance numbers back to prepandemic levels. Although Minecraft is attracting swaths of people, I doubt their out-of-control behaviour is the type of attention cinemas are looking for.

It's not rocket science. When a movie goes viral online, ticket prices surge. If a movie can create a viral moment then, chances are, it'll find success at the box office. Still, not every movie creates a moment. Therefore, theatres must find ways to make the average theatre experience more enticing. As it is, most people don't like going to the theatre. Tickets are expensive; popcorn is expensive; theatre seats are uncomfortable; new gimmicks like D-Box are utterly pointless and expensive.

Cinema used to be the cheapest way to have a good night out. Now, with streaming services costing around $10 per month, there is no incentive for people to visit theatres. A ticket for one movie is more expensive than thousands of titles at your fingertips.

To me, the theatre is a hideout, a calm in this chaotic world, a place to hang with friends where you can share an experience. There's no pressure to drink alcohol, like at bars and nightclubs. It's not demanding that you buy something or get out, like at retail shops. It doesn't even require you to put on airs, like the real theatre or an art gallery. When the lights go down, I melt into my chair, watch a screen that's not backlit, and let my brain wander, imagine, reset.

Despite how I perceive going to the theatre, there's no doubt that there's something wrong with the current theatre-going experience. Why do people only show up when there's a chance that the audience will trash the theatre? Why must theatre employees suffer in order to attract regular audiences? It's time to overhaul the theatre-going experience. I love going to the theatre and, since I go so often, I feel like I know how theatres can improve. Here are my suggestions on how to get people back to the theatre.

Let's start with the big one: the phone. Watching the chicken jockey clips, I noticed that a majority of the kids have their phones out prior to Jack Black speaking the infamous line. I agree that people filming the screen in anticipation is somewhat distracting. Still, I maintain that keeping phones on vibrate is ideal. Vibrate allows me to know when I receive a message, which I will subtly check during the movie. If I don't check, my mind starts wondering who is texting me and that takes me out of the movie. Give me some grace and let me check without the fear of judgement. Must I substitute my phone-driven anxiety in exchange for your judgement? If it's something important, I'll respond quickly and discreetly. Stop acting like my little phone light takes you out of Death of a Unicorn. Movies aren't that important.

There's a limit to the acceptable amount of phone use. I think we should all have a certain amount we can get away with. If my use becomes distracting, I believe the theatre audience should put me in my place. If I overstep my bounds, I want someone to shout at me. It's uncomfortable for everyone, but it stops the problem. If I make a scene of getting yelled at, then I'm the problem and that's something I need to work on.

Same goes with talking. This theory of omerta during a movie is ridiculous. There's a social aspect to the theatre and we should embrace that. I respect the need for discretion. Whispers are essential, for everyone's enjoyment. Still, I reserve the right to make quiet and funny remarks to my friends, because I'm hilarious and they need to know. Additionally, sometimes I need to ask a quick question to my friend to make sure I'm following the plot. Is that a crime?

Putting yappers in their place, again, comes back to the audience. Let's allow quiet yapping and, if someone is clearly too loud, then a hearty and authoritative "shush!" should put them in their place. I'm asking for us all collectively to get over our social anxiety.

I also want assigned seating abolished. I admit that, for very popular screenings, assigned seating is good, but not essential. If I'm catching a matinee and there are three others in the theatre, why must I select a seat prior to showing up? Let me sit wherever I want. Don't make me choose before I have to. I suppose I could sit anywhere, but then I run the risk of that one guy coming in and being like, "you're in my seat." Despite the 80 empty seats around, if I'm in his seat then I'm in his seat.

Then there's the gimmicks that Big Cinema keeps pushing. IMAX is cool, as are regular screenings. It's time to eliminate 3D, D-Box, Screen X, and whatever the next high-priced gimmick is. It's bad business to charge a premium for an experience that's worse than a regular screening. Give me a comfortable seat, a cup holder, a big screen, and good sound. I don't need my seat to punch me in the back. I don't need the walls to light up with images that were never actually in frame. I especially don't need 3D, which was cool in 1999, but is now just a nuisance (this message brought to you by Glasses Wearers Against 3D™).

To bring it back to chicken jockey. Although I support these viral moments, as they bring much-needed attention to the theatre, there is a limit to what people should do. I saw a video where a guy snuck a real chicken into the theatre. Poultry is meant for farms, not theatres. I'm okay with throwing popcorn, it's an easy cleanup, but throwing sodas is a no-no. It can stain the seats, make the floor sticky, and possibly damage the movie screen. That's not good for anyone.

There is a place in cinema for theatre experiences like Minecraft. Cult movies with interactive screenings happen frequently at independent theatres. Most famously are the showings of The Room and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. At these showings, it is the norm to dress up, yell at the screen, throw stuff, and singalong. The results are unforgettable movie-going experiences. Isn't that what it's all about? Evidently, Big Cinema is trying to accommodate this kind of experience, to an extent, by hosting singalong screenings for musicals like Wicked. If they were smart, they'd accommodate Minecraft fans by hosting chicken jockey screenings.

If movie theatre experiences were more interactive and less gimmicky, more relaxed and less pretentious, I think more people would enjoy them. Let people check their phones (to an extent). Let people whisper (to an extent). It's a theatre, not a church. Theatre culture belongs on the outskirts of society and theatres should embrace that. I've just paid $15 to watch the most mid, most preachy, most tone-deaf entertainment possible. Why should I hold theatres in high esteem? I'm here to knock this art form off its pedestal and bring it back to its roots: cheap entertainment for the people. If I see something genius, great. If not, then it's just another B picture. Like Minecraft, a bad movie can create a worthwhile experience, if people are allowed to enjoy themselves rather than feel constrained.