The decision came after some young moviegoers were criticized for rowdy behavior following a trend that broke out on social media app TikTok. The trend involves large groups of teenage boys, calling themselves The Gentleminions, filming themselves watching the latest installment of the Despicable Me franchise dressed in costume. It’s unclear where the trend originated, but #gentleminions videos show suited groups watching the screenings and copying the main character, supervillain Felonius Gru, and his signature finger gestures. The videos, which have racked up millions of views on the app, show groups celebrating “the five-year wait is over”. Some took bananas to snack on during screenings, referencing the favorite food of Gru’s yellow sidekicks, the Minions. Some of the viral videos show attendees cheering and clapping loudly and being disruptive during screenings, leading some UK cinemas to impose dress code restrictions. An independent cinema in Wadebridge, Cornwall, has banned any unaccompanied children wearing costumes from watching the film. In a statement posted on Twitter, The Regal wrote: “At this time we do not accept unaccompanied children in costume for ‘Minions: The Rise Of Gru.’ “This is due to the issues we’ve been dealing with over the past couple of days and the associated behavior.” A spokesman for Odeon cinemas said: “Due to a small number of incidents in our cinemas over the weekend, we have had to restrict access in some cases.” The film studio Universal Pictures, which produced the film, has supported the #gentleminions trend, writing on Twitter: “To everyone who appears in Minions in costume: we see you and we love you.”
