The magic of “Wicked” has been spoiled for some moviegoers, who say too many people are taking photos and recording videos during their screenings.
While it used to be taboo to take a phone out during a movie, the once-derided act has become commonplace in recent years. The release of the musical adaptation has once again renewed debate over movie theater etiquette.
One thread from a moviegoer racked up millions of views on X after the user encouraged people to show their photos from their “Wicked” screenings. While some people obliged, others shamed them for distracting from the film.
Phone use in theaters has been a growing issue since pandemic restrictions were lifted. Some believe the behavior is a result of years of interacting primarily through social media, which has led users to prioritize capturing content instead of living in the moment.
Social media has become a “part of our identity,” said Sara Cureton, an assistant professor at Colorado Technical University who teaches psychology and social media. She said many people use social media “to be seen, whether your social media audience is just your family and friends or you’re more broadly an influencer with thousands of followers.”
Cureton said posting photos from a “Wicked” screening signals that “I was here, I was doing this opening weekend.”
Some social media users who took photos during their screenings argued that a quick picture wasn’t especially intrusive.
But taking a phone out and posting a picture from the theater takes away from the shared experience audiences have watching a movie together. Cureton said phones are “impacting behavior etiquette, including becoming a distraction, violating boundaries in shared spaces.” Many have begun to prioritize their own individual experiences at the expense of the collective.
“By and large, moviegoing is a beloved media and cultural tradition, and a lot of people will say it’s sacred,” Cureton said. “The people who are probably getting upset at the sharing of these title cards or these movie experiences are probably steeped in that tradition of moviegoing.”
Alamo Drafthouse, which has a strict no phones policy, weighed in on the discussion on X, simply telling patrons “don’t do that.”
Numerous movie lovers on X expressed their disdain for having phones out during screenings and called on theaters to do more to enforce their phone rules and curb disruptions.
Eric Forgue, a moderator for the subreddit r/MovieTheaterEmployees, which discusses the experiences of current and former cinema workers, said many theaters are understaffed and don’t have the bandwidth to monitor every screening.
“If you have a problem, you should get up and tell somebody about it, because the odds of someone coming in to check a theater are not as likely anymore,” said Forgue, 30, who worked at a Cinemark theater for seven years.
Forgue worked at a movie theater before and after the pandemic until June. He said he noticed an uptick in phone use from his experience. He partly attributed it to patrons’ being used to watching movies however they wanted in their homes during lockdown, including while they were using their smartphones.
“Then, going back to the theater, they just haven’t got rid of that habit,” Forgue said.
Forgue said he has seen teens taking selfies, people livestreaming big films and even parents allowing their kids to watch YouTube out loud during movies. He encouraged guests seeing “Wicked” to consider: “Would you do that if you were watching it on Broadway?”
People need to remember “that this experience isn’t just about me,” he said.
“This is not my moviegoing experience,” he said. “This is our moviegoing experience.”
