"Wicked" fans asked to follow theater etiquette and not sing
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Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in "Wicked." Photo: Universal Pictures
You might be eager to defy gravity, but please don't sing about it during the new "Wicked" movie releasing this week.
Why it matters: Some movie theaters and loyal fans are warning against belting out the lyrics and singing with Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba — at least until a sing-along version is released later this year.
Wicked movie release
The big picture: The musical movie officially releases Friday at theaters nationwide but has been out in limited release in many theaters since early this week.
- The movie is on track to have one of the biggest opening weekends of 2024 with first-day ticket presales on Fandango trailing only "Deadpool & Wolverine," according to NBCUniversal.
- Wicked Part Two is set for Nov. 21, 2025.
AMC warns "no singing" in Wicked advisory
Zoom in: AMC Theatres lay out the rules in an on-screen advisory before the movie.
- "At AMC Theatres, silence is golden," the 30-second advisory says. "No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No Flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies."
What they're saying: "AMC has a long-standing policy that prohibits disruptive behavior," AMC spokesperson Ryan Noonan told the IndyStar in an email.
- "The WICKED preshow spot incorporates the themes of the film as a fun, engaging reminder to moviegoers to not disrupt the experience for those around them as they enjoy the show," Noonan told the Indianapolis newspaper.
Comedy band Lewberger Music posted a TikTok video about the rules.
- "Several people have made waves about what they'll do if people sing during the film which raises some questions about contemporary movie theater etiquette because they didn't buy tickets to hear some rando, they want to hear Ariana Grande," the band said in the video.
Wicked sing-along screenings coming Christmas
State of play: Interactive sing-along screenings are set to arrive in about 1,000 theaters nationwide on Christmas, Variety reports.
- "Exact plans, including the location count and showtimes, have yet to be finalized," the outlet said in its exclusive.
Wicked collabs at Starbucks, Target and more
Wicked product collaborations started rolling out more than a month before the movie's release with Target and Ulta having two of the biggest collections.
- Starbucks released a duo of Wicked drinks Glinda's Pink Potion and Elphaba's Cold Brew.
- Crocs, Vera Bradley, Beis, Swarovski, Lego, Kipling and Loungefly are on NBCUniversal's long list of product collaborations.
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