Yes, Some People Are Singing During the 'Wicked' Movie

The highly anticipated film adaptation of the musical Wicked began prescreening in theaters before its official release on Nov. 22, 2024. While most would prefer to reflect on how good (or bad) the movie was, instead, they're complaining about the outrageous number of people singing in the theaters.

Yes, you know the unspoken rule of not talking (or singing) during a movie, especially in a theater where you’re now likely to pay upward of $50 for tickets and snacks (without kids!). Well, it turns out people are singing in theaters where Wicked is playing, and let’s just say many folks aren’t happy.

While it’s commonplace for people to clap or even cheer during a movie they’re really into, singing takes it to a whole new level. And if you don’t believe people are actually belting out the Wicked soundtrack in theaters, TikToker @arweirr is here to tell you — it’s happening, and it’s pretty bad. “I’m here to warn everyone that the singing is, in fact, happening, and it’s worse than you would expect,” she says in her video, with the Wicked movie cover displayed in the background.

TikToker @arweirr uploaded her video just days before the theatrical release of Wicked, so presumably, she attended an early screening. In the video, she shared that not only were people singing along while the movie played, but they were doing so “at the top of their lungs” during "Defying Gravity."

Alright, one song, maybe not the end of the world. A little fan excitement in the theater can be manageable. But according to @arweirr, it didn’t stop there. She noted that people were also whisper-singing, which she found even worse because their timing was completely off. “You would just hear little whispers of the songs or even some of the words before they were said,” she explained.

For example, during "Popular," when the line “popu-ler... lar” came up, she claimed, “everyone said it like 20 seconds before she said it in the movie.” She also mentioned a woman in her “eyeline” who wasn’t just lip-syncing but doing so dramatically at her husband with “huge hand gestures.” To make matters worse, she said this went on for nearly the entire movie.

The TikToker wrapped up her video by pleading with people not to sing in theaters playing Wicked, explaining that it made for an unpleasant experience, despite her admitting that the movie itself was really good.

Not only are people singing while the movie is playing, but apparently, at one early screening, there was a 45-minute delay. During that time, one woman decided to perform "Defying Gravity," as seen in a TikTok shared by @kris2flip.

While she started solo, she eventually got some of the audience to join in. In this case, it not only helped pass the time but also created an excellent viral TikTok moment! So, what’s the takeaway here? Singing before the movie during a delay — acceptable. Singing during Wicked in the theater — a definite no-no.