The ongoing phenomenon surrounding the musical Wicked has taken an unexpected turn, with some theater-goers getting a little too enthusiastic during screenings. While many have been belting out songs alongside stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, one individual took the concept of “interactive viewing” to an entirely new, and somewhat alarming, level.
During a Wicked screening, a man, visibly intoxicated, loudly accused a fellow movie-goer, named Jerry, of a shocking crime. The drunken accuser went so far as to threaten, “Jerry, stop this now, or I will tell them how you killed your parents.” This bizarre outburst, which occurred in the middle of the film, led to a bizarre spectacle that included both confused and amused fellow movie-goers, some of whom were even laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
What truly surprised viewers, however, was that the theater staff actually paused the film to address the altercation, much to the audience’s astonishment. Speculation arose about the type of establishment hosting the screening, with some commenters guessing it was a theater with a bar, as the man’s erratic behavior suggested a few too many drinks. Others took the opportunity to joke that the audience was getting a double feature—Wicked and an impromptu true crime drama.
The situation quickly became the talk of social media, with people asking questions like, “Who is Jerry?” and “What happened to his parents?” as well as suggesting a Netflix documentary be made about the strange incident. Some fans even joked that this drunken crime scene could add an extra layer of excitement to the next Wicked movie installment.
With Wicked already shattering box office records, grossing over $525 million globally, it seems this offbeat interaction could only add to its allure. Who knows, maybe Universal should consider adding an immersive “true crime” twist to future screenings—if not for part two, at least for the blooper reel!