Taylor Swift’s concert film, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” is already making waves in the box office before its release. Cinemark, a movie theater chain with around 500 theaters, announced that the ticket sales for the film are breaking national pre-sale records. The demand for the film is reportedly 10 times greater than any other film previously released by the company, surprising everyone involved.
The anticipation for the three-hour film, set to open on Friday, October 13, has been steadily building. An advertisement for the film even aired during NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” last weekend, where Taylor Swift made a special appearance to support her rumored boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
This isn’t the first time a movie theater chain has experienced a surge in sales thanks to Swift. AMC Theaters previously revealed that the concert film set records for single-day advance ticket sales revenue. On the first pre-sale date, August 31, the film sold an impressive $26 million worth of tickets, prompting AMC to add additional screenings to accommodate the overwhelming demand.
Industry estimates predict that “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is likely to gross between $100 million and $125 million during its opening weekend. The film is being shown in both IMAX and standard versions at select theaters.
In addition to Taylor Swift, superstar Beyoncé is also releasing a film version of her “Renaissance World Tour,” which is set to premiere in theaters on December 1. Ticket pre-sales for Beyoncé’s film began on Monday.
For theaters, these two music-driven films are a welcome boost amidst concerns about a potential decline in film releases due to recent strikes in the entertainment industry. They provide an opportunity to sell tickets that doesn’t solely rely on traditional blockbusters, offering a promising alternative.
Another female-led film that has been performing exceptionally well at the box office is “Barbie.” The film achieved the incredible milestone of reaching the $1 billion mark worldwide just three weeks after its release. Only about 50 films in history, adjusted for inflation, have achieved such a feat. Since its release in July, “Barbie” has grossed over $630 million at the US box office. It’s worth noting that CNN and “Barbie” movie distributor Warner Bros. Pictures share the same parent company.