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'''''Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour'''''{{Efn|Stylized as '''''Taylor Swift {{!}} The Eras Tour'''''}} is an upcoming American [[concert film]] documenting [[the Eras Tour]], the 2023–2024 [[concert tour]] by singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]]. Directed by Sam Wrench, produced by Swift and distributed by [[AMC Theatres]] in the United States, the film is scheduled for theatrical release in Canada, Mexico, and the US on October 13, 2023.
'''''Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour'''''{{Efn|Stylized as '''''Taylor Swift {{!}} The Eras Tour'''''}} is an upcoming American [[concert film]] documenting [[the Eras Tour]], the 2023–2024 [[concert tour]] by singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]]. Directed by Sam Wrench, produced by Swift and distributed by [[AMC Theatres]] in the United States, the film is scheduled for theatrical release in Canada, Mexico, and the US on October 13, 2023.


In an unconventional move, Swift bypassed [[major film studios]] after their "disappointing" offers and her parents directly negotiated with AMC Theatres to distribute the film at AMC and [[Cinemark Theatres]],<ref name="Puck" /> which was further approved for promotion and release by [[SAG-AFTRA]] despite [[2023 SAG-AFTRA strike|the ongoing strike]] as the production met the union's stipulations. Following the film's announcement, other films that were set for release on October 13, such as ''[[The Exorcist: Believer]]'', ''[[Ordinary Angels (film)|Ordinary Angels]]'' and ''[[Meg Ryan filmography|What Happens Later]]'', moved their release dates. ''The Eras Tour'' amassed a record $37&nbsp;million in revenue on the first day of US ticket [[presales]].
In an unconventional move, Swift bypassed [[major film studios]] after their "disappointing" offers and directly negotiated with AMC and [[Cinemark Theatres]] to distribute the film,<ref name="Puck" /> which was further approved for promotion and release by [[SAG-AFTRA]] despite [[2023 SAG-AFTRA strike|the ongoing strike]] as the production met the union's stipulations. Following the film's announcement, other films that were set for release on October 13, such as ''[[The Exorcist: Believer]]'', ''[[Ordinary Angels (film)|Ordinary Angels]]'' and ''[[Meg Ryan filmography|What Happens Later]]'', moved their release dates. ''The Eras Tour'' amassed a record $37&nbsp;million in revenue on the first day of US ticket [[presales]].


== Background ==
== Background ==

Revision as of 07:53, 3 September 2023

This article is about the concert film. For the concert tour, see The Eras Tour.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Official poster
Directed bySam Wrench
Based onThe Eras Tour
Produced byTaylor Swift
Starring
  • Taylor Swift
Music byTaylor Swift
Production
company
Taylor Swift Productions
Distributed byAMC Theatres (United States)
Release date
  • October 13, 2023 (2023-10-13)
Running time
170 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10–20 million

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour[a] is an upcoming American concert film documenting the Eras Tour, the 2023–2024 concert tour by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Directed by Sam Wrench, produced by Swift and distributed by AMC Theatres in the United States, the film is scheduled for theatrical release in Canada, Mexico, and the US on October 13, 2023.

In an unconventional move, Swift bypassed major film studios after their "disappointing" offers and directly negotiated with AMC and Cinemark Theatres to distribute the film,[1] which was further approved for promotion and release by SAG-AFTRA despite the ongoing strike as the production met the union's stipulations. Following the film's announcement, other films that were set for release on October 13, such as The Exorcist: Believer, Ordinary Angels and What Happens Later, moved their release dates. The Eras Tour amassed a record $37 million in revenue on the first day of US ticket presales.

Background

Further information: The Eras Tour

The Eras Tour is the sixth headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It began in Glendale, Arizona, on March 17, 2023. The show spans over three hours, with a set list of 44 songs divided into 10 distinct acts that conceptually portray Swift's ten studio albums.[2] The tour was a wide commercial success and received unanimous critical acclaim. It became a cultural and economic phenomenon, bolstered by unprecedented ticket demand and fan frenzy globally.[3]

Production

The Eras Tour was directed by Sam Wrench, who previously directed Billie Eilish: Live at the O2 and Lizzo: Live in Concert,[4] and recorded at the Los Angeles shows of the tour in August 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.[5] The film was produced by Swift's in-house production company, Taylor Swift Productions, without the involvement of a major film studio, and reportedly cost between $10 million and $20 million.[1] The film was able to be produced, released, and promoted amidst the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike because the SAG-AFTRA had approved The Eras Tour as a non-AMPTP production that "[met] the same standards the unions are seeking in their negotiations with the studios".[6] Newsweek explained that Swift was able to reduce expenses by forgoing major studios, a decision that "has the potential to rewrite the rules of movie distribution, with pundits already asking who might be next to follow in Swift's footsteps".[7]

Release

The Eras Tour will receive a theatrical release in the United States, Canada, and Mexico for four consecutive weekends beginning on October 13, 2023, a possible reference to Swift's lucky number, 13.[8] Swift first announced that the film would be released to North America on Good Morning America and through her social media accounts on August 31, 2023.[5][9][10] A film trailer premiered alongside the announcement, featuring her 2023 single "Cruel Summer".[6] Ticket prices for standard screens in the US were set to $19.89 for adults, a reference to her upcoming re-recorded album 1989 (Taylor's Version) scheduled to be released on October 27, and $13.13 for children and seniors, with upcharges for premium large format showings being applied based off the specialized ticket pricing.[8] The film is expected to open on over 4,000 screens.[5][11] Variety noted, the film's four-weekend theatrical run and wide North American release was "far from the kind of one- or two-night special engagement that music fans have become used to with filmed concert experiences in cinemas".[5]

AMC Theatres served as both primary distributor and exhibitor of the film in the US, screening it a minimum of four times per day from Thursday through Sunday each week of its theatrical run. Tickets, which were also available online via Fandango,[5][11] went on sale on August 31, with options for IMAX and Dolby Cinema viewings.[5][9][10] Each initial purchase included a free poster, and select locations also advertised special tour-themed popcorn and drink containers.[12] In anticipation of high demand and in light of the 2022 Ticketmaster controversy, AMC upgraded its systems five times its original capacity and temporarily halted online ticket sales for most of its other films;[5][10] nonetheless, its mobile app crashed shortly after the on-sale began.[13] Additional screenings will be held at Regal, Cinemark, Cineplex, Cinépolis, and other locations in the three countries, marking the first time AMC has distributed a film to unaffiliated theaters. AMC hired Variance Films to assist with bookings at non-AMC and Cinemark locations.[5]

Swift secretively negotiated with AMC for the film.[14] According to IndieWire, the terms of distribution and financing were dictated by Swift and her team rather than AMC. The fixed pricing model and dishonoring of theater loyalty programs were considered highly unconventional and a breach of industry norms. No exhibitors or distributors except AMC and Cinemark were aware of the announcement until the morning of Swift and AMC's press releases, frustrating executives; film distributors are expected to inform each other of their upcoming release schedules as a gesture of good faith.[11] Puck journalist Matthew Belloni reported that "disappointing" talks with major film studios led Swift and her parents to instead negotiate a distribution deal directly with AMC CEO Adam Aron and subsequently Cinemark Theatres.[1][15] As part of the deal, Swift and AMC would receive 57% of the film's box office profits, with the remaining 43% going to other theaters.[1][7][16] Additionally, theaters would be able to retain all concession revenue and screen the film for up to 26 weeks, although Swift can distribute it to streaming platforms after 13 weeks.[16] Collider opined that by successfully negotiating her own deal and proving its profitability, Swift "sent a clear message to the studios that multiplexes can find programming without their help, potentially changing the dynamics of cinema distribution."[15] Billboard and Puck also noted that the "unusual deal" could influence AMC and other exhibitors to expand their distribution operations to include other major concert films.[16]

Reception

Presales

The Eras Tour was met with unprecedented ticket demand. Customers were put in queues to access the AMC website;[17] within hours after tickets went on sale, the film surpassed $10 million in pre-sales, which box office analysts likened to the performance of a Marvel film.[18][19] Global Internet searches for "AMC" spiked by more than 1000 percent,[20] and AMC's stock experienced a brief 9.2 percent surge.[21]

On September 1, 2023, AMC reported that The Eras Tour had grossed $26 million within three hours on its platform, marking the highest-ever single-day advance ticket sales in the company's 103-year history, surpassing the previous record of $16.9 million by Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).[22] To accommodate the unprecedented demand, AMC announced that it added more showtimes.[23] Wanda Gierhart Fearing, chief marketing officer of Cinemark, reported they have booked an "unprecedented number of auditoriums" to meet the demand. IMAX sold out more than 250 screenings of the film in a day, reporting the presales are similar to that of "a blockbuster tentpole feature".[24] Likewise, Fandango reported that The Eras Tour had set a platform record for highest first-day ticket sales in 2023, with figures comparable to No Way Home, Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).[25] Deadline Hollywood confirmed, the film earned over $37 million in first-day pre-sale revenue across all US theaters, surpassing The Force Awakens' $20 million and marking the second highest pre-sale tally behind Avengers: Endgame ($50 million). The overall opening weekend gross of The Eras Tour is projected to be $70 million, an all-time record among concert films;[26] some analysts estimated the opening weekend gross to be as high as $100 million,[25] as a number of smaller theater chains requested access to the film.[24]

Industry

"You have different artists dominating different sectors of the industry: Some are huge at streaming, some are big draws on the road. But we're at this moment where there's no one better than Taylor Swift, whether that's on the radio, with streaming, ticket sales or just cultural impact."

– Jason Lipshutz, Billboard executive director[27]

The hashtag "Exorswift" began to trend on social media shortly after the film's announcement, in reference to The Eras Tour sharing the same release date as The Exorcist: Believer, a supernatural horror film, and the Barbenheimer phenomenon that resulted from the shared release dates of Barbie and Oppenheimer in July 2023. In response, Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions moved the release of The Exorcist forward by one week to avoid competing with Swift,[28][29] a decision IndieWire observed likely did not come at a low cost, considering the marketing campaigns of The Exorcist.[11] The romantic comedy film What Happens Later was postponed to November 3,[30] while the drama film Ordinary Angels also moved out of October 13 with the new release date still undecided.[31]

Vanity Fair journalist Savannah Walsh opined that the film arrived "just when moviegoing needs it most" and may boost theater earnings after the business was widely affected by the ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes.[32] Deadline Hollywood and USA Today expressed similar sentiments, believing the film would "save" the late 2023 box office.[33][27] Michael O'Leary, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, believed the success of The Eras Tour indicates the potential of concert films in theaters.[27] Praising her move to surprise-announce the film and release it theatrically amidst industry-wide strikes to the fury of the studios, The Daily Telegraph dubbed Swift "the greatest tactician in showbusiness" and stated that "Barbenheimer showed people will go to the cinema if they feel they are participating in a communal experience. Hollywood refused to take advantage of this. So Swift has instead."[14]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Stylized as Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour

References

  1. ^ a b c d Belloni, Matthew (September 1, 2023). "How the Swiftie Cinematic Universe Came to Theaters". Puck. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. ^ Yahr, Emily (March 18, 2023). "Analysis | Taylor Swift's Eras Tour opener: A complete recap of all 44 songs". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  3. ^ Sisario, Ben (August 5, 2023). "How Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Conquered the World". The New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  4. ^ Roush, Ty. "Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' Movie Earns $26 Million In Presale Tickets—AMC's Single-Day Record". Forbes. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Willman, Chris (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift Concert Film Will Bring 'Eras Tour' to America's Movie Theaters in October". Variety. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (August 31, 2023). "How Taylor Swift Filmed Her 'Eras Tour' Movie in the Midst of the Hollywood Strike". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Power, Shannon (September 1, 2023). "How Taylor Swift's dad created the game-changing Eras concert film". Newsweek. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Scribner, Herb (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift brings Eras Tour to movie theaters". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Guglielmi, Jodi; Blistein, Jon (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift Announces Eras Tour Concert Film". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Archie, Ayana (August 31, 2023). "From stage to screen: A concert film of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour heads to theaters". NPR. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d Brueggemann, Tom (August 31, 2023). "Don't Blame Me: Taylor Swift Concert Film and AMC Infuriates Studios, Creates Chaos". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  12. ^ Harrison, Scoop (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift Announces "The Eras Tour" Concert Film". Consequence. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  13. ^ McPherson, Chris (August 31, 2023). "Swifties Crash AMC App Buying 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' Tickets". Collider. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Power, Ed (September 1, 2023). "Taylor Swift just beat Hollywood studios at their own game – and they're furious". The Telegraph. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  15. ^ a b McPherson, Chris (September 1, 2023). "Taylor Swift Has Bad Blood With Studios, Striking Solo Deal With AMC for Concert Film". Collider. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  16. ^ a b c Eggertsen, Chris (September 2, 2023). "How Taylor Swift Ditched Dealing With Hollywood Studios to Release the 'Eras Tour' Film With AMC". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  17. ^ Morris, Chris. "Taylor Swift is bringing The Eras Tour movie to theaters". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  18. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift: Eras Tour Concert Film Already Blasting Past $10M+ In Ticket Presales – Watch The Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  19. ^ Romanchick, Shane (August 31, 2023). "Ready For It? Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Movie Has Stormed Past $10 Million in Ticket Sales". Collider. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  20. ^ Della Cava, Marco; Ryan, Patrick (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift is 'in a class of her own right now,' as Eras tour gives way to Eras movie". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  21. ^ Reinicke, Carmen; Sapienza, Brandon (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift Announces an 'Eras Tour' Film and AMC Shares Soar". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  22. ^ "TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR Concert Film Shatters Advance Ticket Sales Records at AMC Theatres: $26 Million in Ticket Revenue Sold on Thursday". AMC Theatres. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  23. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (September 1, 2023). "'Taylor Swift: Eras Tour' Film Earns Record-Breaking $26 Million in Presales at AMC Theatres". Variety. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  24. ^ a b Whitten, Sarah (September 1, 2023). "Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert film is already a blockbuster with historic first-day ticket sales". CNBC. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  25. ^ a b McPherson, Chris (September 1, 2023). "August Slipped Away With a Record-Breaking Presale for 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' Film". Collider. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 1, 2023). "'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' Industry First Day Presales $37M+, Bigger Than 'Force Awakens'; Concert Pic Headed For $70M+ Opening". Deadline. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  27. ^ a b c della Cava, Marco; Ryan, Patrick (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift is 'in a class of her own right now,' as Eras tour gives way to Eras movie". USA Today. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  28. ^ Rizzo, Lillian; Whitten, Sarah (August 31, 2023). "Forget Exorswift: Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert film gets release date to itself as Exorcist moves". CNBC. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  29. ^ Smart, Jack (August 31, 2023). "Exorcist: Believer Changes Release Date to Avoid Same Weekend as Taylor Swift Concert Film: 'Taylor Wins'". People. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  30. ^ Aniftos, Rania (September 1, 2023). "Meg Ryan's Rom-Com Return Will Have to Wait Until After Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' Film". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  31. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 1, 2023). "'Ordinary Angels' Flying Away From Taylor Swift – Release Date Change". Deadline. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  32. ^ Walsh, Savannah (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Concert Film May Save Movie Theaters This Fall". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  33. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 31, 2023). "Taylor Swift To Fill Void At Fall Box Office As 'Eras Tour' Concert Film Hits AMC, Regal, Cinemark; AMC To Distribute Movie In A First". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
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