Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a 2023 American concert film produced by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Directed by Sam Wrench, the film documents the Eras Tour, Swift's 2023–2024 concert tour in support of her discography. Swift struck an unprecedented distribution agreement with AMC Theatres and Cinemark Theatres for the film after negotiations with the major film studios fell through.
Filming occurred in August 2023 at three shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on a budget of $10–20 million, with SAG-AFTRA permitting the production to proceed amidst its 2023 strike. Swift announced The Eras Tour later that month, catching studios off guard and causing several films that had been set for release on or near October 13 to move their release dates. The unconventional release strategy was a topic of media discourse; many journalists and industry personnel praised Swift's move to bypass the studios to directly partner with theaters and opined that the move defies the traditional producer–distributor–exhibitor model of releasing films.
The film premiered at The Grove in Los Angeles on October 11, 2023, and was released to theaters worldwide on October 13. It was met with significant ticket demand, amassing a record $37 million on its first day of pre-sales in the U.S. and over $100 million in total global pre-sales. The Eras Tour became the highest-grossing concert film of all-time, having grossed more than $203 million. It received acclaim from critics, most of whom praised the direction, spectacle, energy, and Swift's artistry and showmanship.
Synopsis
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a "cinematic rendering" of the Eras Tour, the sixth headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Representing Swift's discography conceptually in 10 different acts, it depicts performances of all the songs on the tour's standard set list, except a few songs, to summarize the three-and-a-half-hour show in a shorter film.
Production
Background and development
The Eras Tour began in Glendale, Arizona, on March 17, 2023, and is set to conclude in 2024. 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. The tour was a commercial success and received critical acclaim. It became a cultural and economic phenomenon, bolstered by globally unprecedented ticket demand and fan frenzy.
In 2023, Swift commissioned a recording of the Eras Tour to be theatrically released as a feature film. Sam Wrench, who previously helmed Billie Eilish: Live at the O2 (2023) and Lizzo: Live in Concert (2022), was hired as director, and the film was recorded at the first three of six Los Angeles shows of the tour from August 3 to 5, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Swift's in-house production company, Taylor Swift Productions, produced the film independently in collaboration with Silent House Productions. Forgoing the involvement of major American film studios allowed Swift to reduce expenses; Puck estimated that the film cost $10–20 million. It was able to be produced, released, and promoted amidst the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike because it received special approval from SAG-AFTRA as a non-AMPTP production that met "the same standards the unions are seeking in their negotiations with the studios". SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland stated that Swift "came to [them] and said she wanted to do this, but only if she could do it the right way under a union contract". Swift announced the concert film on August 31 through her social media accounts and during an appearance on Good Morning America on ABC. Tickets went on sale the same day in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. On September 26, Swift announced that the film would be released globally.
Distribution and ticketing
Swift's parents personally negotiated the term sheet directly with Adam Aron, CEO of AMC Theatres. In the U.S., AMC Theatres agreed to serve as both distributor and exhibitor of The Eras Tour, an unprecedented move in the American film industry, and screen it at least four times per day from Thursday through Sunday during each week of its run. Ticket prices for standard screenings were preset at $19.89 for adults, a reference to Swift's upcoming re-recorded album 1989 (Taylor's Version), and $13.13 for children and seniors, a possible reference to Swift's lucky number, 13. The film will also be available on premium large formats such as IMAX and Dolby Cinema. Each initial purchase included a free poster, while select locations advertised special-themed popcorn and drink containers. In anticipation of high demand following the 2022 Ticketmaster controversy, AMC upgraded its ticket sale systems to accommodate five times its original capacity and temporarily halted sales of most of its other films. Nevertheless, the mobile app crashed shortly after the sales began, and customers were placed in queues to access the AMC website. 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. Global Internet searches for "AMC" spiked by more than 100 fold, while AMC's stock experienced a brief 9.2 percent surge. Bloomberg News wrote that news of the film's high ticket sales "boosted stock prices on both sides of the Atlantic".
AMC also served as distributor in other territories, distributing the film internationally and to unaffiliated theater chains for the first time in its history. Cinemark Theatres and other circuits were also granted distribution rights to the film. Chains set to exhibit The Eras Tour included Regal, Cineplex, Cinépolis, Cinemex, and Odeon, in addition to AMC and Cinemark. Variance Films, via a sub-distribution deal, assisted AMC with U.S. bookings at non-AMC and Cinemark locations, and tickets were also available for purchase online via Fandango. The film was expected to screen in more than 4,000 theaters in North America, as well as more than 8,500 theaters worldwide.
According to media outlets, the terms of its distribution and financing were dictated by Swift rather than AMC. The fixed pricing model and unacceptance of theater loyalty programs are considered highly unconventional and a breach of industry norms. No exhibitors or distributors except AMC and Cinemark were aware of the film's release plans until the morning of Swift's announcement; this frustrated executives, as distributors are expected to keep each other informed of their release schedules as a gesture of good faith. Insider stated that since the Paramount Consent Decrees "were terminated in 2020", the distribution agreement was legal. Puck journalist Matthew Belloni reported that "disappointing" talks with the major film studios had led Swift and her parents to instead negotiate a distribution deal directly with Aron and Cinemark. As part of the agreement, 43 percent of the box-office earnings will go to theaters, while Swift and AMC's distribution arm will split the remaining 57 percent. Additionally, theaters will retain all concession revenue and can screen the film for up to 26 weeks, although Swift has the option to send the film to streaming services after 13 weeks. According to the Financial Times, Trafalgar Releasing is handling the film's global distribution and negotiating a deal to release the film in China. The Hollywood Reporter wrote in late October 2023 that "practically every major service" was looking to secure subscription video on demand (SVOD) rights to The Eras Tour following its theatrical run.
Release
The Eras Tour had its world premiere on October 11, 2023, at The Grove, an open-air mall complex in Los Angeles, California, with early preview showings on October 12. It received a worldwide theatrical release in more than 100 countries and territories on October 13, two weeks before the release of 1989 (Taylor's Version), while some countries and territories will have a later premiere date of November 3, 2023. In the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Australia, the film will be screened for four consecutive weekends beginning on October 13.
Variety noted that the film's four-weekend theatrical run and wide North American releases were "far from the kind of one- or two-night special engagement that music fans have become used to with filmed concert experiences" in theaters. It also highlighted that limiting screenings to Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays would make the film feel like an event as audiences "will be able to watch the concert extravaganza with a packed crowd and not in half-empty theaters during a Monday matinee". Deadline Hollywood reported that The Eras Tour had 65,000 showtimes on opening day across the U.S., totaling around 11.5 million seats.
The Eras Tour premiere at The Grove was attended by celebrities, journalists, Swift's family, her personnel, and over 2,200 invited Swifties. The mall and surrounding area of West Hollywood were closed for the premiere, with increased police presence. Swift delivered a welcome note in each of the mall's AMC theaters before the screening.
Impact
The film's unorthodox release strategy generated much commentary from film, music, and entertainment journalists. Vanity Fair opined that the film arrived "just when moviegoing needs it most" and may boost theater earnings after the business was widely affected by the then-ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have affected numerous Hollywood productions. Many journalists expressed similar sentiments, believing the film would "save" the late 2023 box office. National Association of Theatre Owners president Michael O'Leary believed the success of The Eras Tour indicates the potential of concert films in theaters. CNBC commented that Swift would reinvigorate the concert film genre that had first entered cinema theatres in the 1960s. Rolling Stone named The Eras Tour as one of the "42 Must-See Movies of Fall 2023".
The Daily Telegraph praised Swift as "the greatest tactician in showbusiness," writing, "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." Analyses from Collider and TheWrap concluded that by successfully negotiating her deal and proving its profitability, Swift incentivized theaters to find programming without the help of the studios, "potentially changing the dynamics of cinema distribution." British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan supported her "unorthodox release model" and claimed concert films are the future of moviegoing. Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures, called The Eras Tour a "massive, unexpected rescue" for theaters. "Variety" opined that the film saved the fall movie season.
Media publications believed Swift and AMC's partnership "[had] the potential to rewrite the rules" of film distribution. Billboard noted, the "unusual deal" could influence AMC and other exhibitors to expand their distribution operations to include other concert films. On October 1, 2023, American singer Beyoncé announced Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, a concert film of her Renaissance World Tour, in the advent of The Eras Tour release. Renaissance had the same distribution deal "forged by AMC and [Swift]", without the involvement of the major studios. Beyoncé later attended The Eras Tour premiere. Ray Nutt, CEO of live entertainment content provider Fathom Events, opined that a "post-Eras concert film boom" is imminent, with studios "reaching out in earnest, looking for partnership" and artists "already making calls and taking cues from Swift's Eras deal."
Affected films
Various films moved their release dates to avoid competing with Swift. The hashtag "#Exorswift" trended on social media after the concert film was announced, as The Eras Tour had the same release date as The Exorcist: Believer, a supernatural horror film. This was in reference to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon surrounding Barbie (2023) and Oppenheimer (2023) earlier that year. In response, Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions moved up the release of Believer, originally on a Friday the 13th, by one week, a move IndieWire observed likely did not come at a low cost considering Believer expensive marketing campaign. Paramount Pictures and Apple Studios also abandoned plans for a two-week limited run of the fact-based film Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, preceding its wide release on October 20.
Box office
Pre-release
The Eras Tour was met with unprecedented ticket demand. Given its unorthodox release model, various industry personnel attempted to predict the film's box-office gross. Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian told CNBC that "speculation [was] running rampant as to how massive the opening weekend will be." The U.S. projections for the opening weekend gross ranged from a record $70 million to $100 million amongst media outlets. The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline Hollywood reported that the film was vying for a global opening-week gross of $150–200 million ($100–125 million in North America and $50–75 million overseas), stating that its "truncated" theatrical run was an obstacle in predicting its gross. The full gross from its theatrical run in the U.S. and Canada was projected by Variety to be $200–250 million. The New York Times expressed uncertainty regarding the film's box-office forecasts, claiming they are based on moviegoer surveys and marketing, and hence the ticket sales could either sustain or decline after the opening weekend.
On September 1, 2023, AMC announced 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 history, surpassing the previous record of $16.9 million by Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Wanda Gierhart Fearing, chief marketing officer of Cinemark, reported they had booked an "unprecedented number of auditoriums" to meet demand. Hence, AMC and Cinemark added more showtimes. IMAX sold out more than 250 screenings of the film in one day, a number similar to that of "a blockbuster tentpole feature". Fandango reported that The Eras Tour had set a platform record for the highest first-day ticket sales in 2023, comparable to No Way Home, Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). Deadline Hollywood reported that the film had earned over $37 million in first-day pre-sale revenue across the U.S., surpassing The Force Awakens $20 million and marking the second-highest pre-sale tally ever, behind Avengers: Endgame $50 million. By September 15, the film's pre-sale revenue had reached $65 million, surpassing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)'s $60 million and The Batman (2022)'s $42 million.
AMC reported $100 million earned in global pre-sales a week before the film's release, surpassing Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011) to become the highest-grossing concert film of all time. As of October 9, 2023, around 4200 showtimes of the film in the U.S. were sold out, outpacing Barbie (2023), which had 500 sold-out shows in the same timeframe. In Mexico, during the first days of pre-sale, the film sold a record 292,500 tickets at Cinépolis theaters, surpassing that of Avengers: Infinity War (2018). In Australia, the film grossed more than $300,000 within the first 12 hours of pre-sales at Hoyts, tripling the first-day pre-sales of Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). In the United Kingdom, the film broke the Vue record for the highest first-day and first-week pre-sales for a concert film, surpassing BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage (2022).
Performance
, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour has grossed $150.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $53.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $203.4 million.
In the U.S., The Eras Tour made $2.8 million from Thursday night previews at 2,700 theaters, which were added only the day prior. It grossed $39 million on its first day (including previews), marking the second-best opening day for an October release, behind Joker (2019) by $300,000, and the best ever for a concert film. It went on to debut to $92.8 million, marking the second-best October opening of all-time behind Jokers $96.2 million. It also marked the best-ever opening weekend for a concert film, while also surpassing Justin Bieber: Never Say Never ($73 million) to become the highest-grossing genre film in the U.S.; 26% of the gross was from IMAX screenings, while 60% was from pre-sales. AMC-owned theaters accounted for 40.5% of the sales, compared to a typical 22-25% share. The film eclipsed Killers of the Flower Moon to remain at the number-one spot in the second weekend as well, earning an additional $33.2 million; it is the first concert film to spend two consecutive weeks atop the box office.
The film opened atop the U.K. and Ireland box office, with a gross of over as per Vue. The film made $30.7 million from international territories and a global total of $123.5 million in its first week.
Reception
Critical response
Upon release, The Eras Tour received acclaim from critics and was recognized as "the must-see movie of the season", providing a compelling representation of the live performance on the screen. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 99% of 74 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour delivers exactly what it promises: A smoothly directed, impeccably performed documentary capturing the concert event of the year."
Lina Das of The Daily Telegraph and Keiran Southern of The Sunday Times praised the film's energy and spectacle. Southern highlighted how the film is concise compared to the concert, surpassing the live show in some aspects, with the camera work putting the audience "onto the stage with Swift". Kristen Lopez of TheWrap dubbed the film "a bombastic celebration of joy and color" and a "spectacle of sound", whereas Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com called it a "technical spectacle" and a "dazzling achievement". Reviews from Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter, Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of Financial Times, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone, and Bilal Qureshi of NPR called the film an impressive and immersive work. New York Craig Jenkins and Little White Lies Lillian Crawford praised the cinematography for its portrayal of Swift's musicianship. Katie Campione of Deadline Hollywood emphasized the visuals, energy, and vibrance, while Tim Grierson of Screen International felt it was a both rousing and intimate view of Swift's musical dexterity. Peter Travers, writing for ABC News, said the film "beautifully accentuates [Swift's] gifts for artistic reinvention."
On the film's structure, Savannah Walsh of Vanity Fair highlighted that the film eschewed five songs and shortened the transitions between songs "to shave the 3-hour-and-15-minute concert into a still-supersized 2 hours and 45 minutes." The Associated Press' Maria Sherman and The Guardian's Adriana Horton agreed that the film highlights the details potentially "missed" in a stadium; Sherman said the film is a near replica of the concert with limited edits and "stage banter", whereas Horton felt the camerawork is "dizzying" sometimes, becoming steady or dynamic to mirror the song. Cindy White of The A.V. Club liked how the concert is "tightened" in the film to allow a seamless "flow" between songs and appreciated the "expertly mixed" sound—the crowd noise diminished to focus on Swift's "energetic" vocals.
Some critics faulted Wrench's camera direction. Wesley Morris of The New York Times called The Eras Tour a monumental and revelatory film; he praised Swift's "arresting stature" while criticizing Wrench for allowing shots "all over the place", but admitted accommodating the stage's scale and high-tech screen imaging into a cohesive film is an arduous task. Similarly, Time's Stephanie Zacharek disliked some of Wrench's "reckless" camerawork choices, but felt Swift's stage presence "instantaneously airbrushes every questionable filmmaking decision into oblivion." Michael Phillips of Chicago Tribune described Wrench as a director who typically employs conventional framing and editing approaches, but the film could have benefited from a more steady editing pace and reduced camera shifts to fan reactions. Mike Shutt from /Film thought that most of the film lacked meticulous shot compositions, and felt that Wrench relied on multi-camera footage and an expedited editing process. Richard Brody of The New Yorker said the film increased his understanding of Swift's artistry but that the short and monotonous camera shots made the watching experience "wearying", feeling the film was shot "like a commercial".
Conversely, Alejandra Martinez of The Austin Chronicle said the shots offer a "great sense of scope", capturing the show's scale and emotion while "ramping up the excitement with every frame." Alonso Duralde called it a "beautifully shot and edited" film spotlighting Swift's showmanship. Melissa Ruggieri wrote in USA Today that the film "offers a front-row seat to the grandeur", complimenting the camerawork for capturing the tour's detailed production and Swift's charisma. In congruence, Uproxx Philip Cosores and Variety Chris Willman said the film prolifically emphasizes the performance and production details that "get easily obscured by the overwhelming nature of live music" from a concertgoer standpoint. NME Kevin EG Perry described the film as "three hours of slick, lovingly shot footage of a modern pop star operating at the very peak of her powers."
Audience reception
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+", while those polled at PostTrak gave it a 96% overall positive score, with 89% saying they would definitely recommend the film. Rotten Tomatoes audience consensus was: "Whether you're a hardcore fan or a casual listener, it's almost impossible not to get swept up in TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR."
Rolling Stone commented that cinemas were bracing for rowdy crowds after Swift encouraged her fans, the Swifties, to sing and dance at film screenings. The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and The Guardian reported that multiple cinemas were altering rules around audience behavior for The Eras Tour such as suspending evening age restrictions and allowing phone use, singing and dancing. Some theaters worked to recreate the tour's atmosphere by encouraging fans to dress up, offering friendship bracelet-making stations, and selling themed refreshments and merchandise. Audiences in some opening-day shows of the film were reported to have had highly enthusiastic and fanatic reactions.
The Hollywood Reporter journalists reported dancing, singing and cheering audiences at the premiere, and that some screenings on the official release date "felt more like a concert" in terms of behavior while others "were more muted". The A.V. Club's Emma Keates felt it was jarring to attend a screening with no fan frenzy. Hornaday, who attended a screening where the audience was chanting, shouting and singing, opined "one of the delights of The Eras Tour is that it makes moviegoing a contact, call-and-response sport, with audiences literally dancing in the aisles and waving at the screen as if their idol can see them." Insider'''s Eve Crosbie and NBC's Emilie Ikeda noted that videos of such audiences "divided" social media users who debated on audience etiquette; some felt it was a communal experience while some others felt it was excessive and disruptive.
Accolades
Analysis
Critics emphasized that The Eras Tour is a straightforward concert film and not a music documentary; they highlighted the absence of "docu-style elements"—such as interviews, behind-the-scenes or archived footage—in the film, calling it a concert film "in the true sense".
Several publications interpreted The Eras Tour as a cinematic tribute to Swift's music and her fandom. They attributed the film's success to its emphasis on communal experience and observed its feminist aspects, celebrating femininity and the female moviegoing experience. Jo Ellison, writing for Financial Times, said that Swift's "supremacy" over the entertainment industry has resulted in much discourses over what her "secret sauce" could be, and opined that Swift "infuriates male critics by not looking like a sexpot".
See also
The 1989 World Tour Live – 2015 concert film directed by Jonas Åkerlund about Swift's 2015 tour of the same name
Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour – 2019 concert film directed by Paul Dugdale about Swift's 2018 tour of the same name
Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions'' – 2020 concert film directed by Swift about her eighth studio album
Notes
References
External links
2020s American films
2020s English-language films
2023 documentary films
2023 films
AMC Theatres
American documentary films
American musical films
Concert films
Documentary films about singers
Films shot in Los Angeles County, California
Taylor Swift concert tours