Jack Black made an unannounced appearance at a weekend screening of A Minecraft Movie, surprising moviegoers by delivering a mock set of theater rules in response to audience behavior that has gone viral. Disguising his voice at first, Black entered with a microphone and began reciting faux guidelines for the showing.
“No throwing popcorn! And absolutely no chicken jockeys!” he shouted. The line referenced a moment in the film that has triggered loud reactions from viewers across multiple screenings. After the crowd recognized him, Black leaned into his role, announcing, “I am Steve. Are you ready to rock? Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy A Minecraft Movie. Roll the projector!”
Clips of the appearance circulated quickly online. The visit follows a surge of viral videos from screenings of the film, where audience members have responded to specific scenes by yelling, cheering, and throwing popcorn. One moment in particular, known as the “chicken jockey” scene, has become a trigger for loud chants and flying snacks. The scene, drawn from the Mojang video game, features a monster riding a chicken during a battle sequence. Viewers have adopted the phrase as a chant, often shouting it in sync with the movie.
The behavior has prompted some theater chains to issue warnings. A notice from one Cineworld location cautioned against “anti-social behavior,” citing loud noises, shouting, and disruptions to other guests. The policy states that guests who disturb others will be removed without a refund.
In some cases, theater staff have contacted authorities. A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess addressed the situation in an interview, saying, “It’s weird when you’re having too much fun and the cops get called. It’s just literally cheering and throwing popcorn, which is so funny to me that cops are getting called for popcorn.”
Hess said he’s watched many of the viral clips and found them amusing. “I’ve seen so many funny videos,” he said. “Especially when people are climbing on their friends’ shoulders and standing up and cheering for those moments. It’s like this crazy anticipation.”
While the reactions have caused concern among some theater employees and guests, Hess focused on the communal aspect of the viewings. “I’m just so happy that people are finding joy in going back to cinemas and seeing things as a group,” he said. “We’ve become so isolated on our devices, and it’s just fun to experience things together.”
Black’s visit was brief. After delivering his mock warning and energizing the crowd, he ran through the theater, high-fiving audience members and referencing props from the film, including an “actual pickaxe.” He left shortly after his introduction without staying for the full screening.
The film, released by Warner Bros., stars Black alongside Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Hansen. Based on the globally popular Minecraft game from Mojang Studios, the movie opened to $313 million worldwide, the highest debut to date for a film adaptation of a video game.
Audience reactions to the film have continued to appear online. Some clips show coordinated chants and celebrations during key moments, while others capture theater staff attempting to regain control. The unpredictable environment has created a situation where some moviegoers are drawn to the screenings out of curiosity about the audience as much as the film itself.
Theaters have taken different approaches to managing the situation, with some embracing the excitement and others emphasizing enforcement of standard behavior policies. In Black’s visit, the effort to both acknowledge and parody the rowdy reputation of the screenings added to the spectacle.