A late-night screening of the horror film Weapons in downtown Boston ended with violence that startled moviegoers and left a Harvard researcher injured. What began as a routine Sunday outing turned into an incident involving a confrontation, a group of teenagers, and an assault in front of dozens of witnesses.
Thiago Rentz, 35, originally from Brazil and currently conducting research at Harvard, had gone to the AMC Boston Common 19 theater with a friend. During the film, he said five teenagers disrupted the screening by shouting, clapping, and disturbing others in the audience. When he asked them to quiet down, he recalled that his request was dismissed. “They were there disturbing all of the people, clapping and screaming all the time,” Rentz told NBC10. He said he asked for “respect” and urged them to leave the theater.
The situation escalated after the film ended, which Rentz described as the moment the teenagers turned on him. “It was one, me, against five,” he explained. He said they blocked his exit and then began striking him in the head and face. “They just punched me. I didn’t fight back. I was like scared and then I just faced the wall, and I just protected my face in my head, but the target was obviously my head because they were punching my head and my face.” Rentz’s friend called for help, eventually locating a cleaning worker who guided them to security staff. Emergency medical technicians were summoned, and police arrived at approximately 12:45 a.m., about thirty minutes after the attack.
Harvard Researcher Assaulted by Teens After Movie Theater Confrontation in Boston
According to the police report, the assault took place around 12:15 a.m. inside the Tremont Street theater, which had already closed by the time officers arrived. Rentz sustained minor injuries, including a black eye and a bruised nose, but he emphasized that the experience left him shaken. He said the lack of immediate intervention within a crowded theater was particularly unsettling. Days later, he reported no communication from AMC and expressed concern about the theater’s security measures. “Harassment is not good in a public space,” he said. “This is absurd, so I think they need to hire more people to work as security.”
Furious Harvard researcher claims he was pummeled by group of teens after he told them to be quiet in movie theater https://t.co/dDURQvnRk7 pic.twitter.com/IfKffFiNrK
— New York Post (@nypost) August 19, 2025
Rentz has stated his intention to follow up this week regarding the theater’s surveillance footage. He said the teenagers wore black clothing but did not cover their faces. He hopes they can be identified and held accountable. “I want the attackers to be identified because they need to be punished,” he said.
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The incident underscores ongoing debates about security in public venues, particularly those catering to late-night audiences. Rentz’s case highlights how quickly ordinary outings can descend into chaos without adequate oversight, raising questions about the responsibilities of theater operators to safeguard patrons when disturbances escalate.
