The holiday season has brought with it the highly anticipated "Wicked: Part 1," a movie that has sparked intense discussions about how audiences should conduct themselves during screenings. This musical, which hit theaters this weekend, has become a topic of great interest.

To Sing or Not to Sing Along - The Theater Chain's Stance

Theater chain AMC has made a clear plea to viewers, asking them to remain quiet during the screening. Signs placed in the theaters read, "To our guests seeing Wicked, we ask that you allow everyone to enjoy the cinema experience. Please refrain from singing during the show." This request has led to a divide among fans, with some strongly believing that they should be able to sing along and others agreeing with AMC's stance. One moviegoer even brought a poster to the theater, stating, "Attention Ozians: However beautiful (or not), no singing please!"However, others argue that since the movie is a musical, people should be given the freedom to sing, especially on the opening weekend. Actress Cynthia Erivo, who stars as Elphaba in the film, expressed her view in an interview with StayTunedNBC. She said, "I say, if you come the first time and you sing through, sing through. But come a second time and let us sing to you." Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, also added that she understands the "tempting" urge to sing along but respects those who choose not to. She mentioned that if someone throws popcorn, "maybe stop."There is some hope for those with a song in their hearts, as AMC will offer a sing-along version in some North American cinemas on Christmas Day, just over a month after the film's premiere.

The Star-Studded Cast

Erivo is a Tony and Grammy-award-winning British actress and singer. She rose to fame through her starring role in the Broadway Revival of "The Color Purple" and received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopic "Harriet."Grande is a Grammy-award-winning singer, songwriter, and actress. She began her career in "13" on Broadway and then went on to appear in several Nickelodeon shows. She is widely recognized as a pop music superstar, with hits like "7 Rings" and "Thank U, Next."Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero, a prince and Elphaba's love interest. He gained fame through starring in the Netflix series "Bridgerton" and has a musical background in West End productions such as "Les Miserables" and "Company."Ethan Slater, best known as Spongebob in "Spongebob Squarepants" on Broadway, plays Elphaba's sister Nessarose's love interest, Boq.Oscar-winning icon Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible, the Shiz University headmistress. Her most recent success came from starring in "Everything Everywhere All at Once," and President Biden awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year.Acclaimed actor Jeff Goldblum plays The Wizard. His two most famous blockbusters are "Jurassic Park" and "Independence Day," and he also has critically acclaimed roles in Wes Anderson films and appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Award-winning actor Peter Dinklage plays Dr. Dillamond, the goat-professor at Shiz University. He is most famous for his role as Tyrion Lannister in "Game of Thrones.""Saturday Night Live" star and comedian Bowen Yang plays Pfannee, one of Glinda's friends.Keala Settle, known for her role in "The Greatest Showman" and as Angelique/Nurse in the West End musical "& Juliette," plays Miss Coddle. The original character was created for the 2024 film.

What the Movie is About (Spoiler-Free)

"Wicked: Part 1" is the first of a two-part film series based on the musical "Wicked," adapted from the Gregory Maguire book. It presents a unique take on "The Wizard of Oz." The 2024 movie follows the unlikely friendship between the Good Witch, Glinda, and the Bad Witch, Elphaba, who were university roommates. The pair then venture to the city of Oz to meet The Wizard. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 44 minutes, and fans should not expect a post-credit scene after it ends. "Wicked: Part 2" is scheduled for release on November 21, 2025.

What's "Glicked"?

A November Fandango survey revealed that nearly 65% of moviegoers were interested in seeing a double feature of "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" in theaters. Both films were released during the same weekend, and this movie-combo has been dubbed "Glicked," reminiscent of 2023's "Barbenheimer."