According to /Film’s resident box office guru, Ryan Scott, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” has already broken significant records before even opening. After surprise-announcing the film on August 31, AMC’s pre-sale site began to crash from excess traffic almost immediately. And I mean surprise — as very few knew a film had even been made chronicling her recent world tour, least of all the studios, who were furious to be cut out of the deal Swift and her team made directly with AMC Theatres. The same day, Universal and Blumhouse announced they would be moving their $400 million investment, “The Exorcist: Believer,” off its coveted Friday the 13th premiere date as to not compete with Swift. Let’s hear it for the girls!
“The Eras Tour” film is set to debut to at least $100 million domestically, but as Scott notes, some estimates peg that number as high as $155 million. And that’s just domestic, and those estimates were based on a standard opening weekend, not one that begins on Thursday. In her IG post, Swift wrote:
“Due to unprecedented demand we’re opening up early access showings of ‘The Eras Tour Concert Film’ on THURSDAY in America and Canada!! […] We’re also adding additional showtimes Friday and throughout the weekend. All tickets will be available by 10am tomorrow morning. And it’ll be showing starting Friday in 90 countries all over the world.”
Nobody thought the juggernaut that was Barbenhemier could be topped at this year’s box office, but it seems like Swift will compete in the big leagues against the $162 million opening for “Barbie” and a $82 million for “Oppenheimer.” For a concert film with no studio support or any marketing prior to an announcement made on Instagram, that’s not half bad.
Thoughts and prayers to anyone trying to snag tickets tomorrow morning.