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The outsized popularity of Wicked has come with a wave of people whipping out their phones during the movie to get a picture or film a video… sparking a fresh debate about movie-theater etiquette.
The Big Snap: By and large, moviegoing has transformed from a casual communal activity into a once-in-a-while event. In the modern era, capturing yourself experiencing the event (filming your favorite song at a concert or even finishing an emotional book) has become just as important for social capital as simply having the experience.
Behind the Curtain: Taking out your phone at the cinema used to be taboo… but it’s now becoming commonplace.
- Audiences are now routinely taking out their phones to take selfies in movie-themed garb (pink for Barbie, florals for It Ends with Us), get a picture of the title screen, or even film reactions of themselves watching specific scenes to post on their socials.
- The worst-offending cases have posted whole scenes for viral clout… either not realizing or not caring that it’s a federal offense (piracy is a real crime, folks).
- But it’s not just about the legal consequences of in-theater phone use — it’s also rude to the people who don’t want their experience ruined by a stranger (whether that’s in the theater or by someone posting spoilers online).
Closing Credits: People sharing their experiences during a movie is a double-edged sword for Hollywood — it shows a genuine enthusiasm for movies but also highlights a selfishness that could deter some audience members from visiting theaters in the future.
Maybe the answer is in finding a compromise that acknowledges modern human behavior, such as putting up an Insta-friendly banner for socials right before the movie begins (like what’s already done for influencer screenings) and then cracking down on phone use with zero-tolerance rules (like they do at Alamo Drafthouse).
Go Deeper: The theater-etiquette debate has even expanded to include whether it’s okay for audiences to sing along during a musical.
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