There is a new dance trend taking place at screenings of the new Michael Jackson biopic which is really dividing cinemas-goers.
The movie Michael arrived in cinemas last week and features the late star’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in the title role. Despite controversy and attracting a largely lukewarm to mixed response from critics, it is proving to be a huge commercial success at the box office – taking in $217million (£160million) globally, and having the largest ever box office opening for a music biopic.
Filled with Jackson’s biggest hits throughout, many of the screenings have seen fans get up from their seats and start dancing along to the soundtrack – and the growing trend is already dividing fans.
While many have taken to social media to hit out at those wanting to dance at the cinema instead of watching the film, some have described it as “one of the best movie-going experiences” they’ve had.
“I was thinking about going to see Michael tomorrow in the theater, but stuff like this makes me want to watch it at home instead,” one person wrote, sharing footage of a fan performing one of Jackson’s routines beneath the screen. “If I pay to see a MOVIE, I don’t want to see anyone else dancing other than Michael.”
“There’s a difference between enjoying the moment and disrupting everyone else’s experience,” another agreed, while a third added: “I don’t want to see anything like it. As a paying customer I’d prefer to watch the movie I paid to see and not some narcissistic attention whore trying to create a viral moment.”
I was thinking about going to see #michael tomorrow in the theater, but stuff like this makes me want to watch it at home instead. If I pay to see a MOVIE, I don’t want to see anyone else dancing other than Michael. pic.twitter.com/SnWggDAMua
— Curtis T Mozingo (@mozingo_84) April 26, 2026
It’s a movie theater, not a concert. You wouldn’t go do this in a library, or I’d hope not. If so, that tells me all I need to know 😂
— Durango Mango (@DurangoMankuxf) April 26, 2026
I don’t want to see anything like it. As a paying customer I’d prefer to watch the movie I paid to see and not some narcissistic attention whore trying to create a viral moment.
— The Blake of Spades (@blakeofspades11) April 24, 2026
Others, however, were less critical and argued that the trend simply shows people enjoying his music and adding to an electric atmosphere in the cinema.
“You have zero sense of fun or humour. You have zero energy. You are all Karens now and you suck,” one person shared, defending the trend, and another praised it as making the cinema feel like “a live concert” and “a full-blown MJ revival”.
“Michael Jackson made music so ppl can dance to it,” another person chimed in on X, and someone else described it as “magical”.
Check out more fan reactions below.
what a bunch of bitch asses here in comments
You have zero sense of fun or humor
You have zero energy
You are all Karens now
And
You Suck— Guru Pundit (@GuruPundit) April 25, 2026
There’s a difference between enjoying the moment and disrupting everyone else’s experience. Not everyone paid to watch a live performance in the theater.
— Caleb Owens (@caleb_aeon) April 25, 2026
Sense of fun? Nobody paid to see that person dancing, badly. Why don’t you go and plant yourself in the frame of the next big Hollywood blockbuster, if you think it’s so fun and permissible. It’s main character syndrome. Look at me, look at me!
— 𝙍𝙄𝙕𝙀. 𝘌𝘟𝙂𝘼𝙄𝘿𝙀𝙉 (@EXGaiden) April 26, 2026
Michael Jackson made music so ppl can dance to it. Tf haha
— L.C (@perreo101) April 27, 2026
MICHAEL is in movie theaters now, and people are DANCING in the theaters!
I’m sure he is getting a big kick out of this!!
The World is Coming Together! pic.twitter.com/hThrNUmKR3
— Alma Gentil (@Chinoy200096633) April 25, 2026
just went to the see michael there was a whole event and everyone was dressed like him life is so good pic.twitter.com/lYNC7L3w9o
— sarah🍓 (@MILEY0NCE) April 22, 2026
MJ fans turning theaters into concerts? That’s not “main character syndrome”—that’s the King of Pop’s legacy hitting different. If the beat drops and you ain’t moving, did you even see the movie? 🕺🔥 #MichaelMovie
— Jacques Kwon Badji (@jacq_kwon_badji) April 26, 2026
Movie theater or dance floor, pick one.
I love MJ, but let people hear lines.
Save the moonwalk for outside, damn.— EtherLily (@EtherLilyw) April 26, 2026
The debate about cinema etiquette also arose last year, when A Minecraft Movie arrived in cinemas and the “chicken jockey” scene led to some audience members singing, throwing tubs of popcorn and generally losing their minds in the cinema.
Some cinemas issued warnings that “any form of anti-social behaviour, especially anything that may disturb other guests such as loud screaming, clapping and shouting will not be tolerated,” while Jack Black also surprised fans by turning up to a screening of A Minecraft Movie and asked people not to throw popcorn.
Michael scored a three-star review from NME, which read: “Michael feels like a job well done: it’s a slick, accessible advert for Jackson’s incredible imperial phase. But if the singer’s estate wanna be startin’ somethin’ bigger like a film franchise, they’ll have their work cut out.”
Its release has proved controversial, notably amid child sex abuse allegations against the late singer. It was recently reported by Variety that that the film’s third act, which would’ve explored the impact of allegations of child molestation, was scrapped.
James Safechuck, one of the accusers featured in 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, recently shared a statement in support of child sex abuse survivors amid the release of the new biopic. The documentary’s director Dan Reed has spoken out against Michael, claiming the singer was “worse than Jeffrey Epstein”, while also questioning why the film fails to address the abuse allegations.
