Taylor Swift is on a quest to break additional box office records as her Eras Tour concert film extends its presence in theaters. Initially, industry analysts had anticipated that the singer’s film would conclude its limited theatrical run on November 5th.
AMC Entertainment’s initial statement regarding ticket availability for the Eras Tour concert film indicated that audiences could “access showtimes and buy tickets through November 5th.” AMC provided clarification on Friday, explaining that the November 5th date marked the end of the initial phase of ticket sales for the film during the presale period.
The extended theatrical run is poised to be advantageous for both the film and the box office. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has already set new records and played a significant role in bolstering the theater industry during a period of limited releases. As of the upcoming weekend, the Eras Tour film has amassed $150 million in domestic ticket sales and exceeded $200 million worldwide. This global total accounts for over 18% of the $1.092 billion in total global box office revenue since the film’s release on October 13th, as reported by Comscore.
“The Eras Tour has delivered an extraordinary, unparalleled, record-breaking, and impactful performance,” remarked Shawn Robbins, Chief Analyst at BoxOffice.com. This success has not only been a significant victory for Taylor Swift but also a boon for theater owners. Anticipations suggest that Swift’s film will achieve another $10 million in domestic box office earnings this weekend and may once again secure the top spot. Currently, The Eras Tour film holds the title of the highest-grossing domestic and global concert film release in history, with the only exception being “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” which garnered a global total of $262.5 million.
Swift’s concert film release arrived at a strategically advantageous juncture. Labor strikes in Hollywood resulted in the removal of numerous films from the theatrical schedule, including the highly anticipated “Dune: Part Two” from Warner Bros. Discovery and Legendary Entertainment. As Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst at Comscore, noted, “One film can have a transformative impact.” This remarkable box office performance becomes even more impressive when considering the film’s condensed screening schedule, where it predominantly played on big screens just four days a week.
Furthermore, Taylor Swift’s unique distribution approach, opting for theater chain AMC instead of the traditional Hollywood studio route, has sparked heightened speculation regarding the concert film’s eventual streaming destination.
Taylor Swift has a history of releasing various movies and documentaries:
- “Taylor Swift: Journey to Fearless” (2010): Originally aired on The Hub, now known as Discovery Family, and later made available on DVD.
- “Taylor Swift: Speak Now World Tour Live” (2011): Released on DVD.
- “The 1989 World Tour Live” (2015): Made accessible through Apple Music.
- “Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour” (2018): Available for streaming on Netflix.
- “Taylor Swift: City of Lover Concert” (2020): Aired as an ABC TV Special.
- “Miss Americana” (2020): Available for streaming on Netflix.
- “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions” (2020): Accessible for streaming on Disney+.
At the moment, it seems that Swift is holding off on negotiations with streaming platforms for her concert film’s rights, pending the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA strike. The industry highly values this film, and a substantial bidding war is anticipated. Swift has previously collaborated with Apple Music, Netflix, and Disney to bring filmed versions of her concerts and documentary projects to audiences.
