We Come to This Place…To See a New Nicole Kidman Ad for AMC Theatres

Does heartbreak still feel good in a place like this? Presumably it does, though the oft-repeated and now-infamous line from AMC Theatres’ long-running campaign with Nicole Kidman is missing from a new version of the ad that dropped today.

The tweaked spot, which still showcases the Oscar-winning spokeswoman in the bedazzled pantsuit that inspired Halloween costume knock-offs, has a few updates in its fourth year of life.

For instance, Kidman recites the earnest monologue over on-screen clips of Avatar: The Way of Water and Elvis, taking over for La La Land and Creed from the original spot that launched in 2021, kicking off an unprecedented $25 million marketing effort and becoming a viral blockbuster.

The dialogue is slightly different and possibly less meme worthy, with Kidman waxing on about “that indescribable feeling when the lights begin to dim—dazzling images on a huge silver screen, beautiful music soaring through me.”

‘That’s magic’

The kicker has become “That’s magic,” but the setup and the bones are similar to the campy-serious anthem that has kept moviegoers hooting and cheering, sometimes ironically, since it nudged consumers to come back in person in fall 2021 after Covid-era shutdowns. The tagline, “We make movies better,” remains, though the new ad is 30 seconds versus the 60-second OG commercial.

During an earnings call earlier this week, AMC CEO Adam Aron said there would be two more versions of the Kidman ad, with a theater spokesman telling ADWEEK on Friday that those spots will premiere later this year.

No word yet on their scripts, though Oscar-nominated screenwriter Billy Ray has said publicly that he’s been working on the sequels.

‘New ad who dis?’

Reaction so far on social media is generally enthusiastic, with some fans saying “this is better than Christmas” and declaring the ad “the best scene before movies start” and “I truly hope that y’all keep Nicole Kidman’s introduction for movies for the remainder of Eternity,” said one commenter on X.

Others had higher expectations: “Please they only changed one word?????? I wanted a whole new monologue,” said one fan, while another quipped: “New ad who dis?”

The marketing comes as the U.S. box office is trying to shake itself out of a slump, still reeling from actor and writer strikes in 2023 and the production delays that followed. Major tentpoles have shifted, with Wall Street analysts recently saying they expect a rebound to pre-pandemic’s $10 billion in domestic receipts, but not until 2026.

AMC and competitors like Cinemark and others are amping up their marketing efforts with improved concessions, on-site events, loyalty perks and experiential activations to try to lure consumers back to the theaters and away from their streaming services. The brands have taken on more of the heavy lifting—work that was previously the domain of Hollywood studios—to try to put butts in seats.

Sand-swept savior

All eyes are on Dune: Part Two, which officially opens today, to be the first mega-hit of 2024. So it’s no accident that AMC’s retooled spot debuts concurrently with the well-reviewed Denis Villeneuve’s action-thriller starring Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler among a cast overflowing with A-list talent.

AMC is capitalizing on the anticipated crowds at the multiplexes this weekend and going forward by showing the new Kidman ad, which “took on a cult-like nature,” Aron said during the earnings call. “It really hit the American zeitgeist.”

The campaign—parodied on Saturday Night Live and co-opted briefly for a Saw X promotion from Lionsgate—has its own merchandise line, though it’s too soon to know if 2024’s iteration will spawn more hoodies, onesies and backpacks.

And whether it can sear into the public consciousness like its predecessor did is still an open question.

“The idea of a 2.0 will generate attention simply because it is a remake and it was beloved,” David Schwab, executive vice president at Octagon, told Adweek. “That said, it is very hard to replicate the success of an original in anything. I still do think it will be well received and spread outside of the paid buy—it just might not go viral like before.”