Viral Videos Are Asking People Not To Sing During Musical Movies Like Wicked And Moana. Now, The Rock’s Weighed In
For those who love a good musical and don’t mind when a character breaks into song, it’s hard to not belt out the songs you know and love. And, in the comfort of one’s own home, that isn’t much of a problem. Recently, though, there have been some debates and disagreements about whether or not that’s appropriate in the theater. As viral videos ask that people not sing during the highly anticipated Wicked, Moana 2 and more, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is sharing his own opinion on the matter.
The discussion was sparked by the fact that Wicked fans have been singing alongside the movie while seeing it in theaters. At this point, the Internet seems to be split on the matter. One half argues that it’s OK and that if you love the music, you should show it. Meanwhile, the other half asserts that the practice is disruptive and that people should wait for the sing-along release of a film. Some of videos of moviegoers reminding others that this isn’t a sing-along have gone viral. Check out one from Instagram:
It’s evident that the public has strong opinions on this matter. So what does The Rock — who’s one of the co-leads in one of the 2024 movie schedule’s biggest releases — think? Well, during the UK premiere of Disney’s Moana 2, Dwayne Johnson who voices Maui in the film, told The BBC that he’s all for the singing. During the interview, the former wrestler also explained why he holds that position:
While Dwayne Johnson is of the opinion that you should belt it out to your heart’s content, there are moviegoers who do want their fellow audience members to be respectful. It’s fair to say that unless a film is specifically a sing-along, the theaters do ask for no talking, and I personally think that should also include no singing. You may have paid your hard-earned money for a ticket but so did the people next to you. And, when music is such a big part of a movie, it’s a shame when you can’t hear it.
Still, given how great some of these musicals have been, I can, at the very least, understand why fans would feel inclined to sing. Ahead of Moana 2‘s release, fans were discussing the music, as there were concerns since Lin Manuel Miranda did not return for the sequel. With this in mind, the Moana sequel’s reviews have been mixed, though critics can’t stop talking about the music. The same has been true when it comes to Wicked reactions.
It’s possible that this singing debate could continue for some time, and people across the Internet are sure to hold on to their specific viewpoints. Regardless of whatever side of the aisle you’re on, you can check out both Moana 2 and Wicked in theaters now.