Minions: The Rise of Gru flew to the top of the Australian box office in its second week, grossing $8.1million this past weekend and more than $17million to date.
However, the children’s movie isn’t just popular in the box office, as it has also become a bizarre internet meme.
Since its premiere, a new trend has swept TikTok in which large groups of young men don formalwear to screenings of the film.
Minions: The Rise of Gru flew to the top of the Australian box office in its second week, grossing $8.1million this past weekend and over $17million to date
The ‘Gentleminions’ trend sees the men wear dark suits and ties instead of casual clothes when they go to see the new animated film.
In several viral videos shared on the social media app, the men, usually teenagers, join their friends to descend upon their local cinemas in their finest garb.
They walk stoically in file and ride escalators in formation, showing no emotion, as they make their way through shopping centres to their nearest Minions screening.
Since its premiere, a new trend has swept TikTok in which large groups of young men don formalwear to screenings of the film. (Pictured: an example of the ‘Gentleminions’ trend)
Once inside the cinema and viewing the film, they sit together in a row, throwing Minions symbols with their hands and showing their appreciation by clapping.
The idea behind the trend is simply that it’s amusing for viewers to see formally attired young men appearing to take a children’s film so seriously.
However, their viewing of the movie has been deemed ‘ironic enjoyment’ and the groups are attending the animated feature for a laugh, as well as to film the meme-worthy videos for TikTok.
The ‘Gentleminions’ trend sees large groups of young men don formalwear, usually dark suits and ties, to attend screenings of Minions: The Rise of Gru
While the trend is mostly sweeping the USA, one popular video filmed by TikTok user Bill Hirst, which has racked up almost 35 million views, is believed to have been filmed at Westfield Chatswood in Sydney, Australia.
TikTok users are enjoying the trend, with a commenter on that clip saying the boys are ‘raising awareness for the greatest movie ever’.
Another person said, ‘Now this is how you promote a movie,’ while one more agreed: ‘Definition of MEN!’
Once inside the cinema and viewing the film, they sit together in a row, throwing Minions symbols with their hands and showing their appreciation by clapping
The idea behind the trend is simply that it’s amusing for viewers to see formally attired young men appearing to take a children’s film so seriously
TikTok star Bill Hirst even got an endorsement from the official Minions account, which commented on his video, ‘Here you dropped this,’ alongside a crown emoji.
Not everyone is enjoying the meme come to life, with some cinemas banning the ‘Gentleminions’ due to rowdy behaviour.
A Twitter user shared a sign posted at an Odeon Cinemas location on Monday which notified patrons that men in suits couldn’t enter screenings of the movie.
However, not everyone is enjoying the meme come to life, with some cinemas banning the ‘Gentleminions’ due to rowdy behaviour
‘Due to recent disturbances following the ‘Gentleminions’ trend, any group of guests in formal attire will be refused entry for showings of Minions: The Rise of Gru. Thank you,’ the sign read.
‘Thoroughly entertained by this sign at Odeon Cinemas and then saw a bunch of kids in suits refused entry!’ the Twitter user wrote.
The latest Minions film has become a smash hit in the USA; it has topped the box office, raking in about US$128million for its first opening weekend.
A Twitter user shared a sign posted at an Odeon Cinemas location on Monday which notified patrons that men in suits couldn’t enter screenings of the movie
According to Variety, the beloved animation will be the first film to make that much over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
This fifth addition to the Despicable Me franchise is the sequel to the spin-off prequel Minions, released in 2015.
The film saw the return of Steve Carell as Gru, and Pierre Coffin as the Minions.
The latest Minions film has become a smash hit in the USA; it has topped the box office, raking in about US$128million for its first opening weekend
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