The debate over whether Wicked: For Good is suitable for children continues — this time with theatergoers making a case for parents to forgo buying tickets for their kids.
“PSA for parents thinking about taking little ones to see Wicked: Please be honest with yourself about what your child can handle,” an anonymous user wrote on a public Facebook forum on Saturday, November 29. “Yesterday, we sat through a 2.5 hour movie with kids behind us repeatedly yelling things like ‘I’M SCARED!’ and ‘THAT’S A WITCH!’ the entire time.”
“I’m a mom too, and I totally get that kids will be kids, but I also know my toddler isn’t ready to sit quietly through something this long, so I wouldn’t put her (or everyone around us) through that,” the post continued. “I’ve been looking forward to this movie for months, and half the time was spent turning around asking for quiet. It’s not fun for anyone- not the kid, not the parents, and not the people who paid to enjoy the movie. TLDR: If your child can’t stay quiet for even 10 minutes, please wait until it’s streaming.”
One commenter responded, “Thanks for the warning. I agree with this, because that is a long time for children to have to sit. Not all children behave the same and some are more scared than others. Streaming at home gives each one an option to watch or not. 👍🏽.”
Cynthia Erivo Gives ‘Wicked’ Fans Permission to Sing Along in Theaters
“It’s definitely not meant for a young toddler to sit still for… Beautiful movie though 💚🩷,” a second user said.
A third agreed, saying, “Also, the books are very different from the movies according to what i have been told. if you plan on gifting them to a kid, maybe read the (or at least some reviews) first.”
A fourth person argued, “Everyone knows Parents are out with kids and you have a chance of running into some who scream, throw tantrums and cry. Just part of going out in PUBLIC.”
The discourse comes after influencer Sara Burnett went viral for sharing via Instagram that she walked out of the theater with her kids after watching the film’s implied sex scene.
“I am not sitting in a movie that is casting legit spells over me and my family and allowing my children to watch scenes where men are sexually taking off women’s clothing and music that is talking about them laying in bed together. & I have a feeling that the spells cast in this movie weren’t just some made up words.. they had purpose in them!” Burnett wrote on the platform after the film’s November 21 release. “The Bible tells us to stay far away from that and my children even looked at me with big eyes and felt uncomfortable in certain parts of the movie. The mom gut knew it was time to walk out.”
The scene in question features Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) singing the romantic duet “As Long as You’re Mine” while the former dons a black lacy outfit and cardigan. They have sex off screen and are seen lying together afterward.
After Burnett doubled down on her stance on the movie via an Instagram Story, movie review expert and Common Sense Media Editorial Director, Betsy Bozdech, exclusively told Us that the film review site rated Wicked: For Good as suitable for kids 11 and up.
“According to our ratings, I wouldn’t say it’s a great choice for 5- or 6-year-olds either,” Bozdech said, adding, “Again, though, every parent knows their kid and their family best and can make those decisions. It’s just, you need to be ready then to manage the impact of those decisions if they don’t work out.”
Bozdech urged parents to do their research before buying movie tickets.
“If you have the time and the energy, I think that’s also a fine choice, ’cause then you really know,” she said. “And another option, of course, it’s not as much fun as going to the theater, but it’s waiting to watch something at home when you can pause it, you can turn the volume down, you can have the lights up. So if anything is a little bit overwhelming, you have some tools at your disposal to take it slower and take breaks if you need to.”
