When you think of the top 100 films of all time, which come to mind? The Godfather? American Psycho? How about Minions: Rise of Gru, which made more than both of these films combined, making almost $800 million less than two months after its release. Social media played a huge role in the popularity and success of the Minions movie by the rise of a surprising trend: Gentleminions. Thousands of teens dressed in formal wear attended screenings of Minions around the world. However, what started as a lighthearted trend resulted in lots of issues, as Ana Diaz of Polygon writes, “There was an instance where a group got so rowdy that the police were called to the theater. And some theaters in the United Kingdom have responded by banning ‘unaccompanied children wearing suits’ from Rise of Gru showings.” These incidents were few and far between, however, as the vast majority of attendees simply participated for the fun of it.
Whether the trend was started out of ironic interest in the film or a genuine appreciation for the art of Minions, it certainly boosted the film’s profits. Illumination, the studio behind Minions: Rise of Gru, made almost 1000% profit on their film, effectively ensuring that Despicable Me 4 isn’t far behind. Jake Traylor of NBC reports, “the ‘Gentle Minions’ trend played a heavy hand in ‘The Rise of Gru’ soaring at the box office and breaking the record for largest Fourth of July opening weekend of all time.” The Despicable Me franchise as a whole has remained in the public eye for an incredible amount of time, entertaining cinema goers of all ages.
Categories:
The Rise of Gentleminions
September 1, 2022
Donate to The Wolf Howl
$0
$500
Contributed
Our Goal
Your donation will support the student journalists of Chandler High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
More to Discover
About the Contributors
Andrew Phillips, News Editor
Andrew Phillips is an 18 year old senior at CHS and is a news editor in the Wolf Howl. As a news editor, he looks at current events happening locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally then writes articles with an unbiased eye. Starting as a sophomore, Andrew’s initial introduction to newspaper was his English teacher’s recommendation. This year in newspaper, Andrew is looking forward to writing about political and worldwide issues. His interest in “writing articles about tension and issues with authority” fuels his involvement in the writing of news articles. In the future, Andrew is looking into a career in law, and his time and experience in Wolf Howl will improve his writing and speaking skills as a whole.
Makena Colihan, Social Media & Public Relations Manager
Makena Colihan is a Junior in the newspaper. She's the Wolf Howl social media and public relations manager. She joined the newspaper her sophomore year to get more involved in the school and improve her writing skills. She says, “I like the newspaper because it helps me learn to better manage my time, and I get to do the things I love everyday." Makena is also involved with other activities on campus, such as DECA, UNICEF, National Honors Society, and Linkcrew. She usually writes school-based articles for our entertainment or special features section. After graduation, Makena plans to attend NAU and get a degree in marketing and communications.