Taylor Swift has added another feather to her cap, emerging as a box-office sensation. In its opening weekend, the concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” pulled in a staggering $95 to $97 million in the United States and Canada, as reported by AMC, the movie theater chain. This remarkable performance has made it the highest-grossing concert film ever in the domestic market, surpassing the record previously held by “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” in 2011, according to AMC.
AMC, which is also the film’s distributor, anticipates that “Eras” will continue to draw large audiences for weeks to come. Elizabeth Frank, AMC’s Executive Vice President of Worldwide Programming and Chief Content Officer, expressed optimism about the film’s ongoing success.
Comscore estimated that the film brought in $96 million in the domestic box office market over the weekend, overshadowing other releases such as “The Exorcist: Believer” and “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie.”
The Eras Tour, which began in the spring and is scheduled to continue into the next year, has become a cultural phenomenon that significantly boosts the economy. Cities where Taylor Swift performed witnessed increased public transit ridership and skyrocketing hotel occupancy rates. Santa Clara briefly transformed into “Swiftie Clara,” and in Seattle, the enthusiastic Swifties even caused seismic activity comparable to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.
The concert film allows fans who couldn’t secure tickets, whether due to Ticketmaster issues or high costs, to enjoy the music, dance, dress up, and exchange homemade Eras bracelets with fellow Swifties. Directed by Sam Wrench, the nearly three-hour-long film was shot over three nights at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles during the summer.
Anticipation for the film’s release was notably high, and it premiered in 3,855 theaters in the US and Canada alone. Earlier, AMC had disclosed that the movie had already exceeded $100 million in advance ticket sales, breaking the company’s record for the highest ticket-sales revenue in a single day.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, described the success of the Taylor Swift movie as somewhat unprecedented, with the film being announced and hitting theaters in just a few weeks. He attributed Swift’s ability to pull off this feat to her direct engagement with her devoted fan base through social media.
The film initially had showings scheduled for Friday, but additional screenings were added on Thursday and throughout the weekend due to overwhelming demand, as Swift announced on X (formerly known as Twitter).
The movie’s premiere took place at The Grove in Los Angeles, and notable figures like Beyoncé, who has her own concert film, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” coming in December, attended the event.
For movie theaters, “Eras” brings more good news, especially after a challenging recovery from the pandemic. The film industry had a successful summer, thanks in part to hits like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” which together generated nearly $2.4 billion in global box office sales this year, as reported by Box Office Mojo.
“Eras” is expected to maintain this momentum, placing movie theaters at the forefront of cultural influence, according to Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of the National Association of Theater Owners. The film’s success demonstrates the enduring appeal of the cinematic experience.