AceShowbiz - During the premiere weekend of "Wicked", the Broadway musical adaptation's loyal fans took to social media to share images and videos of the screen, fueled by viral posts from Ariana Grande fan accounts. However, this behavior has sparked controversy, with many critics condemning it as disrespectful and distracting.

Jason E. Squire, a professor emeritus at USC School of Cinematic Arts, emphasizes the intolerable nature of cell phone use in theaters, regardless of its purpose. Premium theater chain Alamo Drafthouse strongly discourages phone usage during screenings, offering pre-movie opportunities for image sharing through influencer campaigns. "We absolutely feel strongly about no phone usage once the movie starts," says Alamo's chief marketing officer, Chaya Rosenthal.

Despite the backlash, some exhibitors have chosen not to rely on social media trends. The Art Theatre in Long Beach, California, focuses on second-run titles and has no plans to screen "Wicked". Management actively monitors potential phone usage, but incidents are infrequent.

Universal Studios has not commented on the issue, but Alamo's policy of discouraging phone use aligns with studio preferences. While studios embrace platforms like TikTok for movie promotion, they prefer any video sharing to occur before or after screenings.

The debate extends to other audience behaviors. AMC Theatres requested viewers to refrain from singing along during screenings, while some chains, including Alamo Drafthouse, have scheduled separate sing-along events.

John Bucher, a story consultant for major studios, attributes the changing societal values to the rise of smartphones and technology that prioritizes individual needs over community norms. "Rudeness and civility have slowly been making their way to the bottom of our values list," says Bucher. "Encouraging people to snap pictures during a movie says that the unseen community is more important than the present one."

Despite the ongoing debate, "Wicked" has enjoyed a strong box office run, surpassing expectations and making history as the most successful opening weekend for a Broadway musical adaptation. The film's success highlights the importance of young, social media-savvy audiences while also prompting discussions about the boundaries of audience etiquette in theaters.