Exhibition giant AMC is moving into distribution for the first time to handle the release of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour after the singer-songwriter announced the concert film in a surprise post on social media on Thursday.
Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour will open on Friday October 13 and play through Sunday October 15, followed by the Thursday-Sunday periods of October 19-22, October 26-29 and November 2-5.
Swift, the biggest pop star on the planet, has been on her Eras Tour in the US since March and will play international dates into late 2024. Reports say the tour is on track to register an unprecedented $1bn in sales.
AMC said it will screen the film, which is two hours and 45 minutes long, at least four times a day in every one of its US sites and has secured deals with rival chain Cinemark in the US, Cineplex in Canada, and Cinepolis in Mexico. Variance Films has been brought on to book other exhibitors in the US.
According to one report pre-sales had already surpassed a lofty $10m by Thursday afternoon, less than eight hours after cinemas tickets went on advance sale.
“The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon,” Swift said on Instagram.
Universal reacted quickly to the threat posed by the film’s release and brought forward the release of Blumhouse Pictures’ The Exorcist: Believer by one week from October 12 to October 6. “Look what you made me do,” quipped Jason Blum on social media, signing off with the hasthag #TaylorWins.
Anticipation for the concert film will be music to the ears of AMC and its partners heading into a patchy autumn release calendar. The impact of SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America work stoppages have dampened industry excitement surrounding what could become a $4bn North American summer season, an impressive marker which indicated a much-needed box office rally after lengthy cinema closures during the pandemic.
With stars unable to promote films during the strikes, Sony has pushed Kraven The Hunter from October 6 to August 30 2024 and Warner Bros has moved Dune: Part Two from November 3 to March 15 of next year. MGM had already moved its R-rated Zendaya tennis romance Challengers from September 15 to April 26, 2024.
Earlier this week Apple confirmed an October 20 wide global release with Paramount for Martin Scorsese’s Cannes hit Killers Of The Flower Moon after scrapping the previously announced October 6 limited portion of the roll-out.
Scorsese’s epic tentpole is likely a good fit for Imax screens, as is Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, and it remains to be seen what will happen there. Apple had not replied for a comment at time of writing.
Sam Wrench directs Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour and has previously shot concert films for Billie Eilish and Brandi Carlile. According to reports the film was able to shoot during the strike and would have received a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, most likely under another title.
That might also explain why Swift was able to promote the film’s release in her post on Thursday, which would otherwise have fallen foul of SAG-AFTRA strike rules. Screen has reached out to the union for a comment. This week Selena Gomez deleted a post about the upcoming Season 3 of Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building after followers pointed out she was in violation of strike rules.
Tickets at AMC for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour will cost $19.89 for adults and $13.13 for children and seniors plus tax for all screenings except on branded large screen formats. AMC will not accept free movie passes nor will AMC Stubs A-List members use their membership to reserve tickets.
The world’s largest exhibitor said that in anticipation of high demand for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour it has upgraded its website and ticketing engines to handle more than five times the largest demand it has ever experienced (it did not specific which film that was).
A glance at the company’s website showed that presentations for the opening weekend were nearly sold out in multiple locations around the country.
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