By Rebecca Rubin
Film and Media Reporter
Taylor Swift‘s “Eras Tour” concert film is projected to open to $100 million at the domestic box office, but the final weekend number will likely be much bigger.
The movie, a cinematic rendering of the pop star’s record-breaking, three-hour stadium tour, looks to generate up to $125 million from approximately 3,850 theaters in North America, according to early estimates. It’s also expected to add $30 million to $50 million from 4,150 venues internationally in more than 90 countries for a global start upwards of $150 to $175 million. These are rarified ticket sales for not just a concert film, but any non-franchise movie or sequel in this era. It would be the only film in October, the first since July and the sixth of the year, to hit triple digits in its domestic debut.
Unlike most nationwide releases, which begin playing in theaters on Thursday afternoons, “Eras Tour” won’t officially open until Friday the 13th (Swift’s lucky number) at 6 p.m. However, her numerically loaded fees ($19.89 for adults, $13.13 for kids and seniors) could offset the limited screenings because they cost more expensive than the nation’s average ticket price.
Naturally, the cost is not deterring any Swifties. By last Thursday, “Eras Tour” had surpassed $100 million in advance ticket sales worldwide (which includes domestic and international), according to its official distributor AMC Theatres. It’s entering theaters as one of the highest-grossing concert films in history.
By the end of its theatrical run, “Eras Tour” is expected to rank among the top 10 biggest films of the year with the potential to outperform behemoths like Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” ($174 million), “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” ($174 million) and “Fast X” ($145 million).
And it’ll achieve those box office heights with far fewer showtimes. After opening weekend, “Eras Tour” is only screening in theaters on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays because Team Swift wants the film to be experienced with a packed crowd. They don’t want half-empty auditoriums during a Monday matinee.
Whatever the final tally, “Eras Tour” will be a huge win for theaters after several big movies, including “Dune: Part Two,” were delayed due to the actors’ strike. “These ticket sales rival a major movie. Nobody has ever seen this come out of a concert film,” says Phoenix Theatres owner Cory Jacobson. “It’s an unexpected bolstering of theatrical revenue that we need.”
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