Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” is on track to achieve a groundbreaking global box office opening, with estimates ranging from $150 million to $200 million. This includes an anticipated $100 million to $125 million from North America and $50 million to $75 million from international markets.
AMC Theatres, responsible for distributing the concert film on behalf of the pop superstar, is leaning toward the more conservative estimate of $150 million on a global scale, with $100 million expected domestically.
The film will commence its screenings at 6 p.m. local time on Friday in over 8,500 theaters across approximately 100 countries, including all AMC locations in the United States. Traditionally, movies have preview screenings on Thursday nights before their official Friday release, but “Eras Tour” has a different release schedule, making its opening somewhat unpredictable.
In an unprecedented move, Taylor Swift’s team circumvented traditional Hollywood studios and partnered directly with the world’s largest cinema chain, AMC, to bring the film to the big screen. AMC, in turn, is making “Eras Tour” available to other cinema chains.
Advance ticket sales for the concert film had already exceeded $100 million as of the previous week, with many showings in the U.S. sold out for the opening weekend.
“Eras Tour” is set to achieve the highest-ever opening for a concert film and become the highest-grossing concert film of all time within its first weekend alone, despite its lengthy runtime of two hours and 48 minutes. This success is anticipated, in part, due to the repeat viewing habits of younger female adults, teenagers, and girls.
Previously, Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never” held the record for the highest-grossing concert film at the domestic box office, earning $73 million, not adjusted for inflation, and an additional $26 million overseas, for a global total of $99 million. Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” in 2009 earned $72.1 million domestically and $181.9 million globally.
AMC’s CEO, Adam Aron, managed to secure distribution rights for Taylor Swift’s concert film, despite competition from multiple Hollywood studios. This was an unorthodox move, as major theater circuits typically don’t distribute movies, with producers and filmmakers preferring experienced distributors. However, “Eras Tour” has a unique release pattern, playing only in theaters from Thursday through Sunday
