Cinema chain asks Wicked viewers not to sing-along while watching

A cinema chain in the US has asked Wicked fans not to sing along while watching the film.

The movie, the first part of the two-part stage adaptation, is due to be released on Friday in cinemas. It stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande as Glinda.

Also in the film are Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero), alongside Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible), Ethan Slater (Boq), Marissa Bode (Nessarose), and Jeff Goldblum (the Wizard of Oz).

According to Sky News, a pre-recorded announcement by AMC Theatres tells the audience that “silence is golden” and fans should stay quiet so everyone can “enjoy the magic of movies”.

Based on the hit novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the story of two unlikely university friends in the land of Oz, one destined to become Glinda the Good and the other, the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked writers Winnie Holzman (book) and Schwartz (score) collaborated on the screenplay with Dana Fox.

Part one bubbles into cinemas on 22 November, while part two was recently brought forward to 21 November 2025. The film will have dedicated sing-along screenings next month, though no dates for the UK have been revealed yet.