Illegal or word-of-mouth effect? "Deadpool & Wolverine" may have been the trigger
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| Image Credit: Universal Pictures |
The movie "Wicked," a huge hit in the United States, has sparked an unexpected controversy. It is about camera shooting in theaters during the screening and the dissemination of photos and videos on social media without regard for copyright. Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, this film has succeeded in attracting new audiences of the younger generation as well as existing musical fans and has broken the all-time record for the opening box office revenue in the United States for a film adaptation of a Broadway musical. On the other hand, many audience members ignore the manners and morals of movie theaters, which has become a problem.
It all started when a fan took a photo of the screen during the screening of "Wicked" and posted it on X with the request, "Show me everyone's photos of "Wicked." This triggered a surge in users sharing photos during the screening. Now, in addition to photos, famous scenes and the climax of the film are being secretly filmed and uploaded to X and TikTok. These posts express support and love for Wicked and its cast, but they are clearly serious copyright infringements and have a detrimental effect on the audience's movie experience. This series of problems occurred just a few days after Wicked was released in the United States on November 22nd.
Not only fans in the United States but also Japanese fans who will not be able to see the movie until spring 2025 should be especially careful. Due to the specifications of SNS, these photos and videos may be seen unintentionally. Of course, American movie fans are also outraged by this situation. In response to the filming during the screening and the spread of the footage on SNS, voices spread on SNS that "these people should be kicked out of the theater," and major movie chain Alamo Drafthouse also posted a quote warning, "Stop (taking pictures)." Chaya Rosenthal, head of marketing at Alamo Drafthouse, told The Hollywood Reporter, "We strictly prohibit the use of smartphones during screenings."
"We accept that many influencers want to express themselves on social media and share their experiences with their community, but we want them to take photos before the screening and enjoy the experience in the lobby." According to Rosenthal, film studios basically agree with the cinema's policy of "banning the use of mobile phones during screenings." Also, according to Variety, distributor Universal Pictures seems to be actively working to remove illegal footage. However, it is said that major studios' piracy measures are mainly aimed at preventing the leaking of full-length films, and they cannot cope with the large number of fragmented footage being posted.
Was "Deadpool & Wolverine" one of the triggers?
Variety also quoted an industry executive who lamented, "Since the COVID-19 pandemic, behavior at movie theaters has changed. (Younger audiences) have a different relationship with movies. For them, everything is content." This summer's blockbuster "Deadpool & Wolverine" also had a large amount of secretly filmed footage spread, but it is said that the turning point was when the lead actor Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy, rather than condoning the act, spread it themselves and interacted with fans. One problem is that there is a belief in some parts of the film industry that "even if it is illegal, posting videos and photos has a promotional effect."
In any form, the idea that it is good if the number of moviegoers increases through photos and videos on social media and word of mouth... is an area that cannot be ignored in business, even if it does not necessarily go against legal issues or the creator's way of thinking (Reynolds and Levy's actions are in the latter category, regardless of their intentions). Incidentally, in addition to the problem of secretly filming and spreading the footage, "Wicked" also caused controversy over "fans starting to sing during the screening," which escalated to the point where major cinema chain AMC Theatres called for "considerations not to sing during the screening and to protect everyone's movie experience."
Universal Pictures has decided to release the "sing-along version" in the US on December 25th and is asking people to refrain from singing during the screening until then. Even before the movie was released, Ariana Grande said, "I understand and respect the desire to sing (together), but if people are going to throw popcorn or cell phones at you, then you should stop." Dwayne Johnson, who stars in "Moana 2," commented on this issue, saying, "You can sing. You're paying for a musical with your hard-earned money, so please sing," but he has received harsh criticism on social media, with comments such as, "We pay for movies, not to hear the audience sing," and "Musical = not OK to sing."
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