If you, like me, frequently visit your neighbourhood AMC, then you have undoubtedly seen the now-iconic ad with Nicole Kidman. The Oscar-winning actress enters a curiously empty movie theatre in a slick grey suit and high heels, her raincoat magically dissolving upon entering, as she is taken away by the beauty and splendour of the cinematic experience in this ultra-quotable, one-minute commercial. This long AMC commercial plays before every showing as a nice reminder of why we enjoy going to the movies, and it’s part of an expensive push to welcome moviegoers across the world back into the familiarity of their local theatres. Although it is unabashedly mushy and corny, it is also a winning (and very memorable) reminder of the glory of the silver screen.
It’s no surprise that AMC is pleased with the show’s reception. Kidman’s contract with AMC has been extended for another year, and now comes news that this joyous ad will be followed up with a surprising sequel. The widely recognised AMC commercial with Nicole Kidman will have a sequel, as reported by Vanity Fair. Billy Ray, nominated for an Oscar for writing the screenplay for Captain Phillips, broke the news. Ray is responsible for several memorable lines from the film, including “Somehow, sadness feels wonderful in a place like this.” The filmmaker and writer shared that AMC recently came out to him, asking if he would pen another advertisement for the network.
He’s already written it, and shooting ought to begin soon. The following is what Ray had to say: About a month ago, the chairman of AMC texted me, asking if I would write the next one, and the answer is, of course, absolutely. It’s previously been documented. As the director and writer of 2015’s The Secret in their Eyes, for which Kidman served as an executive producer, Ray is familiar with her work and was blown away by the viral success of the commercial he penned as a favour to her. And he’s “extremely, very thrilled” about the sequel’s potential, saying that “nobody saw this coming, nobody” in terms of the phenomenon’s rising profile. Ray has been deliberately vague on what fans may anticipate from the next film in the series, claiming instead that he knows better than to try to “top” what came before.
This means it won’t be the same old thing we’ve seen at AMC theatres for the previous 12 months. I can only assure you that we will not be so naive as to attempt to outdo ourselves this time. So it’s a whole new spin that gives a nod to the method we’ve already employed.
And in case your worries were justified, Kidman will indeed return for this sequel. For this reason, Ray has stated that he is “not doing it without Nicole,” meaning that the project would not forward without the acclaimed actress. Kidman is undeniably one of our largest A-list professional movie stars, despite the fact that she has been seen on the tiny screen nearly as much as she has on the big screen in recent years.
For AMC, getting her to agree to feature in such an expensive advertising campaign was a huge coup, and it has given dividends aplenty in the months afterwards. We can only hope that the next sequel’s promo doesn’t tarnish the success of the previous version of this theatre chain’s commercial. Meanwhile, you can see the first commercial right here if you’ve forgotten about it or just want to see it again. Of course, this is not the same as experiencing the film in a theatrical setting.