Taylor Swift's "The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" has taken the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office, grossing an estimated $33 million during its opening weekend. The film, tied to her newly released twelfth studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," played in over 3,700 theaters across North America.
The impressive debut demonstrates the power of Swift's dedicated fanbase, often referred to as "Swifties". What makes this achievement even more remarkable is the film's limited marketing window; the project was announced just two weeks prior to its release by AMC Theatres Distribution, in partnership with Variance Films.
"The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" offered fans an exclusive cinematic experience, including the world premiere of the music video for "The Fate of Ophelia," behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot, brand new lyric videos, and never-before-seen personal reflections from Taylor Swift on the songs from her new album.
The film's success wasn't limited to just the box office; it also received an A+ CinemaScore from audiences. This indicates that the film was well-received by Swift's fans. Tickets were priced at $12, potentially referencing "The Life of a Showgirl" being Swift's twelfth album.
The release of the film coincided with the release of "The Life of a Showgirl" album on October 3rd, which sold 2.7 million units in traditional album sales (physical and digital) in the U.S.. According to Billboard, this marks Swift's biggest week ever in music charts and the second-best sales week of the modern era, since Luminate began tracking release data in 1991. Adele's "25" remains the leader with 3.4 million units sold in 2015.
AMC Theatres has called "The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" the only album-debut cinematic event to open number one in North America. Screenings began later than usual on Friday, at 3 p.m. ET. The film also earned $13 million from 54 international territories, bringing its global total to $46 million.
This isn't Swift's first foray into film. Her "Eras Tour" concert film grossed $93 million during its opening weekend in 2023 and went on to gross over $261 million worldwide.
"The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" trounced other box office contenders, including Dwayne Johnson's "The Smashing Machine," which earned just $6 million during the same weekend.
