Due to its genre, even though Chicago was directed by Gilbert, Touchstone Pictures remained cautious in its North American release strategy.
On December 18th, the film began its limited release, opening in just 100 theaters across North America.
At the same time, Miramax Films launched the limited release of Shakespeare in Love on the very same day.
The two films seemed to have reached a mutual understanding, each handling their own promotions without interfering with the other. On the surface, they stayed out of each other's way, but beneath the surface, the competition was fierce.
On Shakespeare in Love's side, Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow's romance rumors were making headlines.
The two made high-profile public appearances, walking hand in hand down the street, conveniently getting photographed by reporters. They played along well, putting on a display of sweet affection.
During one such encounter with the press, Joseph Fiennes held Gwyneth Paltrow's hand and even claimed that they were planning to get married.
The purpose of this publicity stunt was to keep the media and public interested, but unfortunately, it had little effect since all the attention was being stolen by the Cruise family.
Competing in media hype against Tom Cruise was an uphill battle, and even Nicole Kidman benefited from it.
Thus, Nicole Kidman cooperated fully with Tom Cruise's PR team. Despite being pregnant, she made sure to frequently appear in front of the media, showing affection with Tom Cruise and highlighting her growing baby bump.
Tom Cruise played the role of a devoted husband and a soon-to-be father, carefully tending to Nicole Kidman, all while positioning himself for a shot at the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Naomi Watts, on the other hand, had a much simpler PR approach. Apart from making occasional joint appearances with Gilbert, the main focus of her publicity was on how hard she had worked to prepare for her role, emphasizing her rigorous dance training.
"Gilbert told me about this project a long time ago. To meet his expectations, I trained for two to three years despite having no prior experience in musicals.
I knew that without thorough preparation, I would never earn Gilbert's approval," Naomi Watts said in an interview.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, without a professional PR team and unable to afford one, mostly followed the studio's promotional strategy.
However, she was quite content. She was basking in the newfound spotlight, suddenly realizing that people on the streets were recognizing her and calling her name.
What did this mean? It meant she was on her way to fame.
If she continued to cooperate with the studio's marketing strategy and managed to win an Oscar, her career in Hollywood would reach new heights.
As soon as the limited release began, Chicago's reputation started spreading through word of mouth.
The film was genuinely outstanding—not just in terms of musical choreography and narrative flow, but also in its witty black humor, delivering an entirely fresh musical experience.
Ruiz went to see Chicago for a second time, this time bringing his friend Evans along.
After watching, Evans reflected for a long time and said, "This is an incredibly well-made movie. I think I let my own biases get in the way.
If possible, I'd love to watch it again."
Unfortunately, Evans was too late. By the time he wanted to see it again, tickets for the limited screenings were nearly sold out.
Meanwhile,Ruiz was busy sharing his viewing experience with fellow movie fans in online chatrooms.
"The film doesn't have Gilbert's signature action sequences, car chases, or explosions.
But I didn't feel bored for a second in the theater. On the contrary, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
The film is packed with stunning women in seductive costumes, performing wild and uninhibited dances—it's enough to make anyone… stand at attention.
Especially during Roxie and Velma's final number. I noticed quite a few men in the audience practically drooling over their curves and legs…"
On the internet, nothing generates engagement quite like sex appeal.Ruiz's comments instantly sparked a heated discussion in the chatroom.
Some remained skeptical, but many who had already seen the film stepped forward to confirm that everything he said was true.
As word of mouth spread among fans, even those who weren't typically interested in musicals became intrigued—if only to see the alluring performances of the two leading ladies.
To attract female audiences, Gilbert's PR team also took action, shifting focus onto Tom Cruise.
Tom Cruise, who had neither divorced Nicole Kidman nor offended Paramount chairman Sumner Redstone, enjoyed an impeccable public image at the time. His star power was unmatched.
"Ahhh! I'm losing my mind! Tom as Billy Flynn is my ultimate dream man!"
"Gilbert is a genius! He captured Tom Cruise's sexiest performance ever!"
"Does anyone else think Gilbert and Tom Cruise would make a great couple?"
"I didn't think so before, but now that you mention it, they really do look good together."
At first, the conversation stayed on track, but soon, it veered off into a different direction—fans started shipping Gilbert and Tom Cruise together.
In today's terms, they were creating a "boys' love" narrative, turning them into a fictional couple.
Gilbert's PR manager, Marco Wald, was initially surprised by this trend, but he quickly recognized its potential. He immediately mobilized PR teams to fuel the flames of the fan-created "couple" narrative.
At the same time, he proposed a strategy—having Gilbert and Tom Cruise appear together more often as "best friends" to deepen the CP (couple pairing) effect.
Gilbert and Tom Cruise played along. After all, it wasn't real. They were simply cooperating to hype up the film and cater to fans' fantasies.
Soon enough, media outlets began reporting on their outings—one day, they were golfing together; the next, they were courtside at a Lakers game; another day, they went fishing.
Though the PR strategy promoted them as close friends rather than an actual couple, that didn't stop fangirls and CP enthusiasts from fantasizing.
The only regret was that Gilbert was purely the director and hadn't acted in the film himself. If he and Tom Cruise had starred in the same movie, the publicity potential would have been even greater.
Beyond sex appeal and CP marketing, Chicago also leaned heavily into nostalgia.
Chicago was a classic Broadway show that had run for over a thousand performances, accumulating countless dedicated fans over the decades.
Naturally, the film adaptation of Chicago would not miss the opportunity to target this group. When the movie was having its limited theatrical release, several Broadway theaters re-staged Chicago with a revamped production.
Richard, now in his fifties, lived nearby and had always loved watching musicals and stage plays on Broadway.
He was a devoted fan of Chicago, having seen it more than twenty times without ever getting tired of it.
When he heard that Chicago was getting a film adaptation, his reaction was dismissive. He sneered at the idea. A film version directed by someone not even twenty-nine years old? What could someone that young possibly know about Chicago? He was convinced the movie would ruin the classic.
With this prejudice in mind, Richard came to see the latest Broadway production of Chicago after hearing that it would feature a special surprise for theatergoers.
Unlike the audience in cinemas, which mainly consisted of Gilbert's fans and younger moviegoers, those returning to Broadway were primarily middle-aged and older audiences who had experienced the golden age of musicals.
Given the recent buzz surrounding Chicago, they were drawn back to Broadway to witness this reimagined performance.
Richard was lucky. As a VIP theater member, he always had a reserved seat and never had to fight for tickets—he could simply walk in.
Upon arriving at the familiar theater, Richard was directed to Box 2 but was displeased. "I always sit in Box 1. Why am I in Box 2 today?"
The theater staff quickly apologized. "We're very sorry, sir. But Box 1 is reserved for a distinguished guest today, so we could only arrange Box 2 for you."
"A distinguished guest?" Richard frowned, suddenly suspecting that this "special surprise" might involve the cast of the movie adaptation.
If that were the case, he was determined to watch closely. This was the real Chicago, after all.
Richard was well aware of the promotional tricks used in Hollywood, having spent years in the business world. With the ongoing collaboration between Broadway and the Chicago movie, he figured this was just a marketing stunt.
A savvy young director wouldn't miss such a great publicity opportunity—likely arranging for the film's stars to attend the Broadway show and stir up media coverage.
Richard was unimpressed by these tactics. To him, young directors were all talk and no substance, bound to ruin the classics he cherished.
However, what the film's promotional team had planned far exceeded Richard's expectations.
Backstage at the theater, the production team was making final preparations. This was a significant event—the revival of Chicago on Broadway after several years.
And at the makeup station, the spotlight was undoubtedly on three major Hollywood stars—Tom Cruise, Naomi Watts, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
That's right. For this special reopening performance, the theater and the film's production team had coordinated to have the three leading stars of the Chicago movie perform in the stage version's debut night.
For Catherine, this was familiar territory—she had experience performing in London's West End.
For Tom Cruise and Naomi Watts, however, this was an entirely new experience. Still, both were used to high-pressure environments and remained relaxed.
Naomi Watts turned to Catherine for advice. "Catherine, this is my first time performing in a theater. Is there anything I should pay special attention to?"
Catherine reassured her. "Just follow the choreography as rehearsed. There's nothing to worry about. Honestly, stage performances are much easier than filming a movie."
Tom Cruise had a different perspective. "I actually think theater is harder. In a movie, we can do retakes if we mess up. But in live theater, there's no room for mistakes."
"That's true," Naomi admitted. "But since we're not professional stage actors, I think the audience will be forgiving."
Forgiving? That was an understatement.
When the performance began and Tom Cruise stepped onto the stage, the reaction from the audience was one of utter shock.
Gilbert was seated in a private box on the first floor, watching the show with Charlize Theron.
Charlize commented, "Wow, the stage setup is impressive. Looks like Naomi's Broadway debut is going well."
Gilbert glanced at the crowd in the main seating area, amused by their stunned expressions.
This was exactly the effect he wanted. In order to attract these nostalgic, middle-aged theatergoers to the cinema, he had collaborated with Broadway theaters to orchestrate this spectacle.
And from the looks of it, the results were astounding.
Richard, sitting in Box 2, was utterly speechless as he watched Tom Cruise, Naomi Watts, and Catherine Zeta-Jones perform on stage.
Though he didn't frequent cinemas, he certainly knew these Hollywood stars.
To see them live on a Broadway stage tonight—it was as shocking as witnessing an atomic explosion.
Admittedly, aside from the experienced Catherine, Tom Cruise and Naomi Watts weren't as polished as professional stage performers.
But that hardly mattered. Their sheer star power overshadowed any minor imperfections.
Just having Hollywood megastars grace a Broadway stage was a miracle in itself, enough to create a sensation.
Sure enough, by the time the show ended, and Tom Cruise led the cast in a curtain call, the audience erupted into thunderous applause.
The performance alone was worth the ticket price—it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As they clapped, many well-to-do, middle-aged audience members found themselves wondering: if the film was as spectacular as this stage show, perhaps it was worth watching.
Curiosity alone would drive them to the cinema—precisely what Gilbert had aimed for.
Given Chicago's quality, the film was bound to win over older audiences as well.
Sitting in Box 2, Richard had already made up his mind. Tomorrow, he would buy a ticket to see the Chicago movie.
And he wasn't the only one. Many others in the audience were making the same decision.
The primary demographic of moviegoers had always been young audiences, typically between the ages of 17 and 35.
Viewership significantly dropped for those outside this age range—this was an objective fact based on industry data.
But after tonight, Chicago's audience demographic had clearly expanded.
The next day, The New York Times ran a front-page story covering the Broadway event.
"Chicago has returned to Broadway after several years, with a newly revamped production.
But this time, the performance brought an unexpected surprise—Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise, along with co-stars Naomi Watts and Catherine Zeta-Jones from the film adaptation, appeared at the theater.
Not only did they watch the show, but they also took the stage and performed, giving theatergoers an unforgettable experience.
It was reported that the film's director, Gilbert, attended the show with his date, Hollywood bombshell Charlize Theron…"
As soon as this report came out, it was easy to imagine how many theatergoers who had missed the event would regret it.
It wasn't just middle-aged audiences. Even younger audiences, after reading the news, felt like they had missed out on something huge.
Among them were Ruiz and Evans.
Butcher Ruiz groaned as he read the newspaper. "F***! How did I not hear about this? If I'd known, I would've gone to see it last night."
Though he was a New Yorker, he had never been interested in musicals or stage plays, considering them outdated. He had never set foot in a Broadway theater.
Evans, however, was intrigued. "Why don't we go tonight? Since we can't get movie tickets anyway."
"Great idea! I'll buy the tickets now. Maybe we'll even get to see Tom Cruise." Butcher Ruz agreed immediately.
And so, an unusual phenomenon occurred.
The Broadway show encouraged middle-aged audiences to see the movie, while the movie's hype led young audiences to Broadway.
Both the film and the theater production achieved a win-win outcome.
The only problem?
Whether in cinemas or on Broadway, Chicago was completely sold out.
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