A new TikTok trend has Gen Zers flocking to their local cinemas in fully fitted suits to watch Minions: The Rise of Gru. Is it a genuine social media trend or a carefully calculated marketing scheme?
The new Minions: Rise of Gru film is a bizarre entanglement of pop culture references and memes.
Its musical soundtrack has a top tier features list, boasting appearances from Tame Impala, Diana Ross, Brockhampton, Phoebe Bridges, and H.E.R, amongst others. Ticket sales have broken records in the US with the biggest July 4th opening release ever. Not too shabby.
Where the film has particularly stood out, however, is in the bizarre #gentleminions trend currently sweeping TikTok. Gen Zers (mostly teenage boys) are kitting themselves out in full piece suits and heading to their local screenings to create online content.
Itβs become such a phenomenon that several cinema chains have had to ban teens in suits for rowdy behaviour, while Universal Pictures acknowledged the trend via Twitter a few days ago.
to everyone showing up to @Minions in suits: we see you and we love you. π«Ά
— Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) July 1, 2022
Where did this meme come from, though? While itβs impossible to say exactly where or when it started, itβs worth noting that the official Minions TikTok account was almost instantaneous in embracing the whole thing.
@minions Bobspeed you gentleminions. π€΅ #Minions #TheRiseOfGru only in theaters now. #gentleminions #gentlemen #riseofgru #mintok