3 hours ago
1 
An excited audience member enjoying one of the first screenings of the Michael Jackson biopic has shocked fans with a video him moonwalking in the cinema.
Despite a poor critical response to Michael, which is believed to have had a massive $200m budget after reshoots, it’s anticipated that the commitment of the King of Pop’s fans will carry it to great success at the box office.
And that fervour has already been on show after one fan leapt to his feet to dance right in front of the screen, demonstrating his best Jackson-inspired dance moves alongside actor Jaafar Jackson on screen.
The impromptu performance, which disrupted the screening, was accompanied by a chorus of whoops, yells and cheers from those filming it; the clip, posted by @Mari___lord, has already attracted more than 330,000 views.
The unidentified fan gave it his best go while Jaafar – who is the late Thriller megastar’s nephew – performed Bad in the film, recreating a 1988 Wembley concert.
However, despite some apparent appreciation for the stunt in the screening, many were horrified to see this going on, claiming it ‘ruined’ the experience and sparking up a debate once more on cinema etiquette.
Many pointed out that this ‘isn’t what you’re supposed to do when watching a movie’ because it’s not a concert, with fans readily admitting they would have been ‘livid’ had it happened in their screening.
‘Ugh!! Please don’t do this tomorrow in my screening. I understand you may be major fans, but I paid to watch the movie, not your a**. Do this at home on your own time,’ insisted Terrence Ford on X, while others reprimanded the dancer for thinking he was ‘the main character’ when audience members just want to watch the film in peace.
Do you think it's acceptable to dance in front of the screen in the cinema?
‘This is why people don’t go to movies anymore. Always gotta be the certain of the attention at events that don’t need this. Always gotta make a “trend”, and ruin it for others that actually wanna watch it. Do this at home. Do it on the sidewalk. This is a MOVIE NIGHT,’ argued Jaxon Mouser.
However, Tanya suggested it was ‘the most appropriate time of the film to get up and dance’ at least, coming right at the end, while Felo Dibakoane added: ‘He is having fun, love to see it.’
Last year, A Minecraft Movie also provoked audience participation with the disruptive ‘Chicken jockey’ trend, with fans slamming the ‘feral’ behaviour as a string of cinemas issued statements to warn against ticketholders partaking in it.
Many warned of taking a ‘zero tolerance approach’.
Biopic Michael, which also stars Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Mike Myers and Juliano Valdi, charts the life of its late titular star from early childhood success to the peak of his solo career in the late ‘80s.
Controversially, it fails to address any of the child molestation allegations against Jackson, which started in 1993 and overshadowed much of his later life before his death aged 50 in 2009. The final planned act of the film was to include this before the Jackson estate, which serves as a producer, realised that a clause in the settlement with one of the singer’s accusers, Jordan Chandler, prohibits his mention or inclusion in any movie.
This reportedly cost the production up to $50million (£36.9m) in reshoots and delayed Michael’s release by a year.
Critics have slammed it as a ‘bland and barely competent daytime TV movie’ and a ‘ghoulish, soulless cash grab’, while Metro’s two-star review called it ‘deep as a puddle’.
Despite this, the film so far has a 96% Rotten Tomatoes audience rating and is on track to break records and open as the highest-grossing musical biopic in history.
Michael is in cinemas now.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Bengali (Bangladesh) · 
English (United States) ·