When Taylor Swift launched her “The Eras Tour” concerts in 2022, the demand was unlike anything seen before as the 12 time Grammy winner broke a multitude of records within the first 24 hours of ticket sales. However, this demand soon crossed over to the big screen as Swift announced her concert film on Sep. 26 entitled “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and was set to be released on Oct. 13
Though many concert-goers were aware that she was likely filming a movie due to cameramen onstage on some tour dates, notably at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Swift’s announcement for the concert film was highly anticipated as it came through social media. In her post, she shared an image of the concert film poster along with the caption, “The tour isn’t the only thing we’re taking worldwide…….. Been so excited to tell you all that ‘The Eras Tour’ concert film is now officially coming to theaters WORLDWIDE on Oct. 13! Tickets available now at www.TSTheErasTourFilm.com or on your local theaters website!”
From presales alone, Swift and her team had already made at least $60 million from “The Eras Tour” movie pre-sales. However, similarly to the tour itself, the consumer demand for the film was unexpected and on Oct. 11, Taylor Swift announced that there would be early access showings to meet fans’ wishes. In an Instagram post, Swift shared that “I can’t really wrap my head around this but…. Look what you genuinely made me do: Due to unprecedented demand we’re opening up early access showings of The Eras Tour Concert Film on THURSDAY in America and Canada!! As in… TOMORROW. We’re also adding additional showtimes Friday and throughout the weekend. All tickets will be available by 10am tomorrow morning. And it’ll be showing starting Friday in 90 countries all over the world. I can’t thank you enough for wanting to see this film that so vividly captures my favorite adventure I’ve ever been a part of: The Eras Tour. And the best part is, it’s an adventure we’re still on together.” Not only did this satisfy the demands of fans within the United States, but also internationally as concerns that the film would only be in Western countries were now eradicated.
As showings of the concert film began, Swift quickly began to break further records – something the artist is not unknown for. The film opened to $128 million globally, breaking the record for a concert film previously set by “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” in 2009 ($74.3M). On opening day, the concert film earned $39 million, the second-biggest October opening day in box office history, just behind the “Joker” movie. The film also debuted with a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, something typically unheard of for films of this grandeur.
Celebrities and other pop culture stars also seemed to be engaging in the buzz surrounding the concert film. On the day of the premiere, Swift herself posted images with Beyoncé at the cinema after they reportedly had dinner. As stan wars threatened the pair’s friendship due to Beyoncé also having an upcoming concert film, Swift and Beyoncé’s post made fans of both multi-talented artists seemingly call a truce. Taylor Lautner, Swift’s muse for her musical tracks like “Back to December” and present-day close friend, also posted a video of him doing backflips at his screening. Finally, the Jigsaw doll from the “SAW” franchise was spotted attending a showing of the film perfectly in tune with the October season spirit.
However, the film did not go completely without criticism. The length of the concert itself is three hours of Swift’s 17 year-long music career, and understandably some songs had to be cut from the film as to not have the film’s length be comparable to a Christopher Nolan film. Tracks from the setlist that were cut from the film include “The Archer”, “tis the damn season”, “no body, no crime”, “Long Live”, “cardigan”, “Wildest Dreams”, and an interlude of the folklore song, “seven”.
In addition to criticism of the setlist, there has been a feud surfacing between the filmgoers. While Swift prompted people to sing and dance at their respective screenings, some fans have shown outward distaste for this claiming that it has been extremely disruptive to their viewings and that the singing and dancing had become unmanageable for other audience members.
In the end, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and its groundbreaking success showcased not only the artist’s remarkable talent and creativity but also her enduring connection with her devoted fanbase. The film’s record-breaking performance, critical acclaim and the unifying power it held for fans and celebrities alike, have solidified its place in music history and made it a cherished chapter in Taylor Swift’s illustrious career.
