Oman today_ The film Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, which will premiere alongside the release of the album The Life of a Showgirl, earned $15 million in ticket presales within just 24 hours. Projections suggest that its opening weekend, from October 3 to 5, could bring in between $30 million and $50 million. AMC Theatres also recorded the sixth highest presale day in its history, with $7.5 million in ticket sales for the film.
According to Deadline, unlike The Eras Tour—which was initially offered to Hollywood studios but was ultimately distributed directly through AMC—this time Swift and her team reached out to AMC CEO Adam Aron in late August. The Eras Tour went on to gross $180.8 million domestically and $267.1 million worldwide, reportedly generating $172 million in net profit for Swift. Once again, the pop star is expected to secure one of the most favorable deals possible, earning millions without partnering with major Hollywood distributors.
No trailer is expected to be released for this film, and given Swift’s recent agreement with AMC just two weeks before the premiere, marketing expenses will be far lower than for The Eras Tour. That concert film had a massive $55 million marketing campaign over a month and a half, which resulted in a $93.2 million opening weekend—marking the second-biggest October debut in history, after Joker. Presales for The Eras Tour had been estimated at around $37 million.
Tickets for Showgirl are priced at $12 before tax, while The Eras Tour charged $13.13 for children and seniors and $20 for adults. The new 89-minute film features the music video The Fate of Ophelia, Swift’s commentary on the songs from her new album, behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the music video, as well as performances of several other tracks accompanied by their lyrics.
When The Eras Tour announced its release dates, Universal Pictures postponed The Exorcist: Believer to avoid competing with it. Showgirl will open against The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, which is expected to gross around $20 million. Meanwhile, Disney and 20th Century will re-release Avatar: The Way of Water during the same period.
Showgirl will screen for just one week in 540 theaters across the United States. It will also be released in 18 other countries, including Mexico, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.