Minions Taking the World by a Storm

On July 1, many Canadians and other moviegoers around the world chose to ring in Canada Day with a trip to their local movie theatre to see Minions: The Rise of Gru. Following the 2015 film Minions (2015), Minions: The Rise of Gru once more follows the wacky adventures of Gru’s banana-obsessed, bug-eyed hench-people.  

With the ongoing controversy surrounding Canada Day causing many to question whether or not they should celebrate the holiday, Minions: The Rise of Gru provided a light-hearted alternative celebration for the holiday.  

Anxiously anticipating the film, moviegoers streamed into theatres in full-piece suits. This sparked a trending movement over TikTok, the app becoming flooded with well-dressed movie patrons prepared to see the latest entry in the Minions franchise.  

With over 826.8 million views on the #minionsriseofgru tag on TikTok, the trend lives on as users on the app post their own minion related memes.  

This movement led to the film becoming the 6th highest grossing film of 2022 thus far, earning over 412 million dollars. 

The release and subsequent rise of Minions: The Rise of Gru is a clear example of the role social media plays in the success or failure of a film in today’s moviegoing scene. TikTok, with its constant influx of trends plays the biggest role in convincing today’s teenagers to go out to the cinema to see a film rather than waiting for it to land on their favourite streaming platform.  

While many believe that going to the cinema will continue to become less popular than streaming from home, social media is in the unique position to shoot the moviegoing experience into relevance once more. While tickets and concession foods continue to skyrocket in price, there is a “togetherness” that comes from getting to record your cinema experience for your Instagram, TikTok or Twitter page. Late night viewings for films – especially Marvel Films – continue to grow in popularity. Exclusivity is key – Minions: The Rise of Gru allowed moviegoers to become part of an exclusive trend that will be remembered forever. 

After all, how else can you get millions of views and likes on your TikTok account? Trending tags based off of movies and other media are the life force of the app – post a new angle on a popular trend and you can be shot to stardom.  

As you settle into your seat to see Minions: The Rise of Gru, be aware that you are a part of a cultural phenomenon – seeing an animated film that was elevated to success seemingly overnight.  

30 years from now, when TikTok has likely been surpassed, you can look back on your experience – as one of the first people to see Minions: The Rise of Gru on the big screen, you were part of a historical moment in film history

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