Hollywood needed a blockbuster, and it got A Minecraft Movie. Social media needed a new hobby, and Minecraft has delivered with the “chicken jockey” trend.

If box-office figures don’t interest you — a healthy $157 million in ticket sales from theatres in the US and Canada over the weekend while internationally another $144 million — the baby zombie that rides a chicken may raise the eyebrow, a la Rock.

The “chicken jockey” trend is not making movie theatre owners happy in some parts of the world. Young audiences are cheering, throwing popcorn and cola, and shouting out the two words when the film is on, particularly during a scene where one of the actors, Jack Black, calls out “chicken jockey!” at the appearance of a baby zombie riding a chicken.

The viral ‘chicken jockey’ trend is helping 'A Minecraft Movie' become a blockbuster hit

If all this sounds alien, take a step back. “Chicken jockey” is a baby zombie that rides a chicken and it has been around since the early days of the sandbox adventure game. It’s rare to come upon a “chicken jockey” in the game. But that’s the intent of the film’s director, Jared Hess. He brought together his favourite characters from the Minecraft universe.

In the film, Jason Momoa’s Garrett Garrison has to battle the chicken jockey before going about finding the orb that can take him back to the real world. He is kept company by Steve (Jack Black), a man who lives inside the game. Garrett laughs when his sparring partner, a chicken, enters the wrestling ring. Then drops the zombie on the chicken’s back. This is when Black shouts: “Chicken jockey!”

In the game, a “chicken jockey” chase sPlayers and Villagers, similar to a regular zombie. It can pass through a one-block-high gap but the rider will briefly suffocate as it passes through.

“Chicken jockey” first became a meme, even before the movie’s release, according to the website Know Your Meme. As soon as the film was released, social media users started isolating the scene.Youngsters are going wild in movie theatres. A theatre in New Jersey said it wouldn’t allow unaccompanied minors to attend the movie, which is rated PG. According to the BBC, an outpost of the Cineworld chain in Britain put up a sign warning that “any form of antisocial behaviour” is unacceptable.

The film’s director is not too bothered. “Just the fact that people are making memories at the movies — that’s what it’s all about. That’s why we do it. I never could have anticipated this level of passion and fun and craziness that’s happening,” he told The New York Times.