In the last few weeks, Minions: Rise of Gru has been smashing box office numbers and mentioned in countless media headlines – but not because Steve Carrell has pulled off a stunning performance in yet another movie in the seemingly endless franchise. Instead, it’s because of a TikTok trend that has caused a frenzy both online and in-person of Minions fans in suits – also known as #Gentleminions – including in Toronto.
Minions: Rise of Gru is the fifth instalment of the Despicable Me franchise and the spin-off prequel to Minions. The film premiered in Canada on July 1 and internationally, and while the franchise has done pretty well since its inception in 2010, this sequel drew in a slightly different (and slightly differently-dressed) audience.
Picture this: A band of young teens enter a movie theatre dressed to the nines. We’re talking blazer, slacks, dress shoes, dress shirts and usually with the addition of sunglasses. They make their way up the escalator with fingers pressed together as if they’re pondering how to take over the world. Once they enter the theatre and the film begins, mayhem ensues.
This exact scene has played out on countless TikTok videos since the trend started in Australia, after a local teen took a video of him and his friends dressed up in suits attending the movie. The idea to dress in suits to the movie apparently came from other TikTokers, according to The Guardian, but the teen who made the video was the first to record it.
Most videos have the song “Rich Minion” by the rapper Yeat playing in the background, and some arrive with bananas in hand.
@martim__gonc Gentleminions Time ? #gentleminions #minionssquad? #minions #viral #fyp #tiktok #portugal #pub #publicidade ♬ Rich Minion – Yeat
The trend quickly spread to Toronto, and movie theatres here have been swarmed by suited up teen fans.
@rachidtabbara minions disguised as distinguished gentlemen take over downtown toronto #minions #gru #fyp ♬ Rich Minion – Yeat
Some videos taken within the cinema show teens jumping around in front of the first row, flashing their phone flashlights, screaming and doing their best job of mimicking a moshpit. Undoubtedly, the trend has caused major disturbances within theatres, with some theatres in the U.K. banning fans of the franchise arriving to the movie in suits to avoid any further ruckus.
However, while some find the trend disturbing, others have seen positives in its popularity. Sarah Van Lenge, the Vice President of communications at Cineplex, said “We are seeing our guests getting super excited about Minions: The Rise of Gru across Canada. As you can imagine, having guests arrive in costume for big film releases is something that we’re used to at Cineplex, but what we’ve been seeing since the weekend has been something really unique and special.”
From a safety standpoint, Van Lenge said, “It would be safe to say that thousands of Canadians have suited to enjoy the film on the big screen – and that’s something that we welcome and encourage. We always ask our guests to be respectful of other movie-goers in the auditorium looking to enjoy the film and so far, the #GentleMinions have done just that.”
Minions: Rise of Gru managed to haul in $108.5 in its opening weekend across North America and is still in theatres now, so there’s still a chance to don your finest suit and join in on the trend.