To borrow — and alter — an Eminem punchline: Taylor Swift breaks so many records that each new claim sounds like a broken record. This time, Swift’s “The Eras Tour” concert film has broken AMC Theatres’ record for single-day advance ticket sales revenue.
Taylor attracted $26 million on Thursday, besting the previous record set by “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The 2021 animated Spidey flick netted $16.9 million in its own first-day presale web.
It’s important to point out that Swift’s film set adult tickets at $19.89, a reference to her “1989” album and world tour (and the singer/songwriter’s birth year); the “No Way Home” (December 21, 2021) tickets were just regular market price (so, cheaper). When “Spider-Man: No Way Home” swung into theaters, the average U.S. ticket price at an AMC theatre was $11.50, according to company filings.
That’s not a shot at Swift’s huge sales. It took her less than three hours to pass “Spider-Man: No Way Home’s” first-day, 24-hour record. AMC, the largest film exhibitor in the U.S., has been around for 103 years.
“Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” comes to theaters on October 13. It’s not an AMC exclusive; the theater, alongside Variance Films, is acting as a distributor for the movie, which will also show in Cinemark and Regal theaters in the U.S., in Cineplex theaters in Canada, and in Cinépolis venues in Mexico.
On Instagram, Swift called the Eras tour “the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far.” And much like the tour itself, for the screenings, “Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged,” she wrote.
As one might expect from all of this, AMC has announced it will add additional showtimes “where necessary and available.” “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” will play at least four showtimes per day on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, at every AMC theatre location in the United States.
Some of those suddenly freed-up screens will come from “The Exorcist: Believer.” Producer Jason Blum of Blumhouse (wisely) moved his fall horror film away from Swift’s opening weekend; the latest sequel for the franchise that began in 1973 will now premiere on October 6. “Look what you made me do,” he tweeted, a reference to another hit Swing song, adding #TaylorWins.
Well played, Jason.
Not everyone is feeling so gracious. IndieWire box-office guru Tom Brueggemann reported on Thursday that distribution execs and many exhibitors were blindsided by the big news. And some were upset. Read more here.
