PARTICIPATE OR KEEP IT QUIET? RECENT SING-ALONGS TAP INTO LARGER DISCUSSION ON MOVIEGOING ETIQUETTE

As movie theaters worked to entice Americans back into seats after COVID-19 lockdowns and labor strikes, the industry marketed blockbuster films like “Wicked “and the dueling releases of “Barbie “and” Oppenheimer “as no less than cultural events.

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But when certain movies become “events” unto themselves, sometimes different behavior accompanies them.

During the theatrical run of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour “last fall, fans danced and belted lyrics in the theaters, sharing their glee on social media. Last year, fans at early screenings of “Wicked “did the same, to the chagrin of other moviegoers. One video of a woman dressed as Glinda the Good Witch racked up over a million views on TikTok and beyond for announcing to her theater, “I’m here to hear Cynthia and Ariana sing, not you.”

After a period of growing accustomed to watching movies only from the comforts of home, Americans have been slowly returning to theaters following COVID-19 lockdowns. Along the way, as attendance spikes, the question of how to behave as part of a moviegoing audience has become a topic of passionate online debate.

When asked whether it’s appropriate for fans to sing in the theater, “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, told NBC that she thinks the practice is “ wonderful “ and that “it’s time for everyone else to join in.” Dwayne Johnson, who stars as Maui in “Moana 2,” told the BBC that theatergoers who have spent their “hard earned money for a ticket” should be able to sing. Online backlash was swift, with one user retorting, “I paid my hard-earned money for a ticket too and I don’t wanna hear y’all attempting to sing so what now.”