Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert film has had an impressive opening weekend at the box office, with domestic ticket sales reaching over $95 million. While it didn't quite hit the $100 million mark, it still surpassed expectations and broke records as the highest-grossing concert film release in the US. The film was shown in over 3,850 locations, making it the widest-released concert film in history.
Box office analysts had initially predicted a range of $40 million to $60 million for Friday's sales, with a potential opening weekend draw of up to $150 million. However, the film earned $39 million on Friday, falling just short of the forecasted range. There were also last-minute Thursday night previews that brought in an additional $2.8 million.
Despite not reaching the $100 million benchmark, industry experts are calling the film's debut a significant success. It has exceeded the opening weekend record set by Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never" film release, which earned $73 million in its entire run. Additionally, it surpassed Miley Cyrus' "Best of Both Worlds" record opening of $31.1 million.
Around 4.8 million people were estimated to have attended the film over the weekend, with an average ticket price of $20.75. The majority of the audience, approximately 80%, were female. It's worth noting that international box office figures were not available at the time of reporting.
Looking ahead, the film's performance in the coming weeks will be closely watched. As it has weekend-only engagements in theaters, it may be challenging to compare its success to other releases. However, industry analysts are optimistic about its long-term playability and believe it will easily surpass the $100 million mark in the domestic market.
Overall, while Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert film fell short of some initial lofty expectations, it still achieved impressive results and broke records in its opening weekend. The film's success highlights Swift's popularity and the strong support of her fan base.