Taylor Swift’s Film Release Is Making Hollywood Studios Nervous
Sweet like honey, karma is the studios missing out on money.
Taylor Swift’s music is a masterclass in pop songcraft, as evidenced by her legions of fans and global fame. But what makes the singer-songwriter truly impressive is her efforts to reclaim her original music from an industry notorious for exploiting artists (especially female artists). After a contentious relationship with her first record label, Swift signed a deal with a new label and re-recorded four of her first albums so that she could own her own masters. Her versions of each of those albums were huge commercial successes, and sales of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) made Swift the highest-selling artist of 2021.
Now, with the concert film of her record-breaking Eras Tour coming to theaters, Swift is gearing up to prove that her success need not be limited to the realm of music. This has some Hollywood film studios in a bit of a panic.
Out reports that ever since AMC announced that Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour would be hitting theaters on October 13, some studios are shifting the release dates of their spooky season offerings so as not to compete with Swift for opening weekend box office.
For example, Universal has decided to try and cut The Eras Tour off at the pass, shifting the premiere of The Exorcist: Believer from October 13 to October 6. Meanwhile, Paramount’s Killers of the Flower Moon has moved to October 20, and will likely be competing with The Eras Tour for IMAX screens. Good luck, Paramount. The Eras Tour is set to premiere on more than 4,000 screens across North America.
The schedule-shifting around Swift’s concert film is interesting in light of the current Hollywood strikes. The studios represented by the AMPTP have been trying to deny the reasonable demands of writers and actors as if they’re doing creators and performers a huge favor by employing them. Meanwhile, Swift’s film, which is being distributed directly by AMC Theaters and NOT through a major studio, proves just how unnecessary studios are for distribution. Especially when you have a performer of Swift’s caliber building direct relationships outside of the studio system.
Variety has reported that presale tickets have already earned $26 million, beating the previous record holder, Spider-Man: No Way Home ($16.9 million), as the highest single-day ticket sales record. And studios will see none of that money. Siri, play “Karma” by Taylor Swift.
OMG, what if A-list actors, writers, and directors get wind of this?
It’s already been a “Cruel Summer” for the Hollywood studios. Could The Eras Tour coming to theaters this Fall be signaling an end to “the last great American dynasty?”
More importantly, are you ready for it?
(featured image: screencap/YouTube)
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