Will the Wicked practice of taking videos of the big screen go away?

During an opening weekend screening of the hit movie musical Wicked in November, a woman sitting in front of me reached for her mobile phone during “The Wizard And I,” Cynthia Erivo’s first big number as the misunderstood green sorceress Elphaba.

- Esther Zuckerman

NEW YORK — During an opening weekend screening of the hit movie musical Wicked in November, a woman sitting in front of me reached for her mobile phone during “The Wizard And I,” Cynthia Erivo’s first big number as the misunderstood green sorceress Elphaba.

I watched while this person snapped several photos of the British actress-singer as she belted.

This behavior both bewildered me and distracted me from the film. I became more focused on what was being photographed — and why — than on Erivo’s performance.

And yet this disruption is apparently not unusual if you have seen Wicked in a theater.

Social media has been flooded with images that people have taken during the movie. One post actually prompted others to share their photos as if taking them was a badge of honor.

It is not just Wicked. Taking photos and videos of the big screen has somehow become a common practice these days.

For instance, major spoilers from superhero blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) were plastered all over X and TikTok shortly after it hit theaters in July, thanks to poor-quality shots from audience members.

Blockbusters are not the only films getting this treatment. Look hard enough and you will find bootleg clips of just about any theatrical release, from the French body horror film The Substance (2024) to the pope drama Conclave (2024).