‘Somehow, Heartbreak Feels Good in a Place Like This’: How Oscar-Nominated Screenwriter Billy Ray Crafted Nicole Kidman’s Iconic AMC Ad
Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Nearly a year ago, the nation’s movie theaters were floundering and exhibitors were fearful that moviegoing could become a relic of the past. Sure, there were occasional big-screen hits, like “A Quiet Place Part II” and Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” but even those films weren’t bringing in pre-pandemic ticket sales and nothing was getting people really, truly excited about going to the movies. (Remember, this was before “Spider-Man: Far From Home” and, later, “Top Gun: Maverick” swooped in to save the day.) So AMC Theatres, the country’s largest cinema chain, took matters into its own hands. Rather than waiting for Hollywood studios to release the Next Big Thing, the company wrote a check for $25 million and set out to craft an advertisement to promote movie theaters rather than just movies. To convey its message, AMC turned to Nicole Kidman, the Oscar-winner who endeared herself to audiences through crowd-pleasers, dark thrillers and tear-jerkers like “Moulin Rouge,” “Eyes Wide Shut” and “The Hours.”