Wicked has sparked a big debate over cinema etiquette

Wicked is a monumental movie success. The long-awaited adaptation of the stage musical — or at least the first part of that adaptation — is now in cinemas and it's drawing enormous audiences. When you've got a film that ends with one of the greatest numbers in Broadway history — we've all tried to belt out Defying Gravity in the shower — you're pretty much guaranteed big crowds.

Those numbers are certainly vast. The BBC reported that, in the USA alone, Wicked is believed to have earned $114m (£90.6m) in its opening weekend. In the same article, the UK debut was forecast at £14m — the biggest opening of 2024. Despite all of this box office joy, though, the film has become something of a battleground.

Wicked is at the epicentre of a dissent that has been brewing for several years about the experience of cinema itself. What sort of behaviour is acceptable in a cinema? How closely should the multiplex reflect the comfort and atmosphere of your living room?

When it comes to Wicked, much of this debate centres on singing. Wicked is a mammoth musical with numerous songs that have become classics, with many fans accustomed to warbling along with every word spouted by Elphaba, Glinda, and the other denizens of Oz. Most theatre audiences are polite enough — and well-policed enough by ushers — to know that singing along is discouraged in a live setting but, for many, that doesn't seem to apply at the multiplex.

Read more: 'Wicked is one of the best musical movies of all time' (Yahoo Entertainment, 5 min read)

In order to remove any doubt from the situation, one of the world's biggest cinema chains decided to issue an advisory video in its venues. AMC Theatres — which owns Odeon in the UK — has been airing a message prior to some screenings, which states: "At AMC Theatres, silence is golden. No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies."

In a statement to IndyStar, AMC spokesman Ryan Noonan said the video serves as a "reminder to moviegoers to not disrupt the experience for those around them as they enjoy the show". Noonan's perspective is clearly — and correctly — that cinemas should ensure every audience member is able to experience the film as its makers intended.

However, some fans have chosen to muddy the waters. It's a common refrain that, having paid for a ticket to see a film, audience members can sing along if they choose to. An A-list intervention this week hasn't helped matters. Ahead of the release of his own new musical movie Moana 2, actor Dwayne Johnson said: "Especially if you love music, that’s the fun part. Sing! You’ve paid your hard earned money for a ticket, and you’ve gone into a musical, and you’re into it. Sing.”

Read more: Dwayne Johnson on his Moana role: It has brought me closer to my own culture (PA Media, 4 min read)

Johnson, of course, comes from the world of professional wrestling, in which crowd reaction is key and a silent audience is usually a sign of failure. That's not the case in a cinema. It's also telling that Moana 2 — as a new, original musical with fresh songs — is less likely to fall victim to singing viewers than Wicked, with its array of well-known musical theatre classics.

Wicked has also been a new frontier in a long-running battle about the increasing ubiquity of mobile phones in cinemas. If you were to scroll through the social media website of your choice right now, you'd be able to see dozens of grainy pictures of Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey taken from various rows of auditoriums across the globe.

Read more: Wicked’s Color Grading Is Intended to ‘Immerse People Into Oz, to Make It a Real Place,’ Says Director Jon M. Chu (Variety, 3 min read)

This debate is not new. During the Barbenheimer wave of last summer, both movies triggered extensive complaints on social media about inconsiderate audiences seemingly photographing — or even recording — almost every frame of the movie. Beyond the fact this is classed as piracy and is therefore illegal, bright screens and flashing cameras are hugely distracting to everyone else in the vicinity.

However, for cinema audiences today, it is increasingly common to see entire rows of cameras held aloft when the title card comes up at the beginning of a film. This often continues whenever recognisable stars appear on screen. It's not just younger viewers who are guilty of this, but it's true that any movie with a large Gen Z audience often proves to be a flashpoint in this particular culture war.

Read more: Bad behaviour at the cinema is at an all time high, survey finds (Yahoo Entertainment, 3 min read)

AMC's approach is a step in the right direction. In order to ensure that everyone who buys a ticket can have the best possible experience — not to mention preventing piracy — it should be made clear that phones are unacceptable in cinema screenings. The same is true of excessive conversation and, as if it needs to be said, belting out high notes at a pitch and volume that could kill off any nearby dogs.

Unfortunately, this problem is unlikely to be solved unless cinemas are more willing to police audience behaviour. Often, a visible usher regularly checking screens is enough to encourage people to avoid doing things that, despite their protestations, they know they shouldn't be doing.

You'll have plenty of time to try your best Idina Menzel impression in the car on the way home. I know that's what I'll be doing.

Wicked is in UK cinemas now, while Moana 2 will be released on 29 November.