Fans ignore anti-piracy rules by sharing scenes from Wicked on social media
- Fans are sharing clips from performances of Wicked on social media.
- Hollywood appears to struggle with addressing this trend effectively.
- The changing relationship between audiences and content suggests a need for reevaluating anti-piracy policies.
In November 2024, fans of the new musical Wicked are actively sharing videos and photos from their screenings on social media platforms such as X and TikTok, including clips that reveal key moments and even the conclusion of the show. This behavior represents an emerging trend in audience engagement with film and theater content, particularly after the pandemic. Movie theaters across the industry have noted a shift in patron behavior; moviegoers now perceive films as mere content, lacking respect for intellectual property rights. Consequently, Hollywood is struggling to keep up, focusing efforts on removing fully pirated films instead of addressing this new form of piracy. The anonymous movie executive quoted by Variety highlights a wider cultural change in how people interact with entertainment, suggesting that post-pandemic, audiences are willing to risk copyright infringement for their desire to share experiences. This has resulted in significant scrutiny towards anti-piracy policies in an age when content accessibility plays a crucial role in audience engagement.