Moviegoers at an Eastland Hoyts cinema in Ringwood, Melbourne experienced a frightening disruption during a screening of *The Minecraft Movie*, as unruly teenagers triggered a fire extinguisher, creating chaos and distress.
The incident, which occurred during a specific scene, marks an escalation of a growing trend where screenings of the film have been plagued by unusual audience reactions. While previously, attendees would often respond to the “Chicken Jockey” scene with enthusiastic – albeit disruptive – displays of popcorn-throwing, clapping, and shouting, this latest episode involved far more serious consequences.
One mother, Mel, described her experience to 3AW as deeply unsettling. “It scared a lot of children, a lot of grandparents,” she stated. “You couldn’t breathe, you couldn’t swallow… my kids were crying, their eyes were burning.” Footage documenting the incident has also circulated widely on TikTok.
Mel reported that Hoyts staff had been attempting to mitigate potential issues by checking bags for items like flour and toilet paper prior to screenings. However, she alleged that several teenagers managed to obtain a fire extinguisher and activated it during the film.
“I don’t know where they got it from,” Mel said. “And then, bang. We were completely doused in it.”
Hoyts staff subsequently relocated affected attendees to another screening room to continue watching the movie.
The disruptive behaviour isn’t limited to this incident. Another mother, Helen*, whose son works at Hoyts, told 3AW that her son has witnessed a constant stream of increasingly bizarre attempts by young people to bring items into screenings with the intention of throwing them at the screen.
- Roast chicken
- Flour
- Toilet paper
“Everyday he comes home with a new story about what kids have smuggled in their bags,” Helen explained. “They’ve got longer shifts and more cleaning to do.”
As a result of these ongoing issues, cinema staff are now required to check bags before entry for *The Minecraft Movie* screenings.
Helen highlighted the precariousness of the situation, noting that these bag checks are performed by young employees.
“They’re not security guards, they’re 15 and 16-year-olds, and this is their part-time job.”
Hoyts has been contacted for comment regarding the incidents. *Not her real name.
