HEBER, Utah — The new ‘Minecraft’ movie trend popularized through social media has made its mark in Utah’s theatres from Provo to Heber City, causing chaos as owners work to find ways to respond.
For nearly everyone, a night out at the movies can be an escape for people of all ages.
“We’ve just really wanted to bring some good old-fashioned family fun to the people here in Heber City,” said Steve Anderson.
It’s why Steve and his wife, Karyn, started up Heber Valley Entertainment around a year ago, reviving two historic local theatres.
“The Avon Theatre was built in 1948,” Steve said, noting their other location, The Ideal Playhouse, was built in 1914.
“This theatre seats 350 people,” Karyn added, with the big auditorium being a nod to the experiences the couple said they grew up with.
But last Friday, the fun got a little out of control as the theater filled up for the new Minecraft movie.
Out of 250 people, Karyn said, “We probably had less than 10 adults there, including myself — we were just completely outnumbered.”
When the talked-about “chicken jockey” scene from the film arrived, craziness ensued. Teenagers inside the theater were caught on video running around with shirts off, and their popcorn and soda flying.
The theater turned the lights on and shut the movie off within 30 seconds, but once Karyn got inside, she saw the damage was already done.
It made a mess for the Andersons and even put a dent in their big screen.
“The history of these theatres is something we’re trying to preserve and protect,” Steve explained.
Following the movie mayhem, the Andersons now require adults to be with children under 16, specifically for Minecraft showings.
“Just come with a parent, and we’ve had no problems since,” Steve added.
There was a silver lining to last week's abrupt curtain call.
“I had all these teenage boys looking at me, saying, ‘Can we help? I want to help clean up,’” Karyn shared.
Many did the right thing that night, and there were no problems on Thursday.
The Andersons say they know what happened was just kids having fun. Maybe it was too much this time, but it’s something the couple wants to support in Heber Valley for years to come.
“We want to preserve the integrity of the theater," said Steve, "and also make it a nice experience for the regular moviegoers that aren’t into the TikTok."
