Taylor Swift Finishes Second to Only Joker for All-Time October Box Office Opening Weekend

Taylor Swift took on the Joker for the October box office record, but the DC villain came in just ahead of the anti-hero. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour debuted in 3,855 theaters over the weekend to $92.8 million in North America and $30.7 million internationally, kicking off Swift's concert film era with $123.5 million at the global box office. The Taylor Swift concert film is now the second-biggest October opening behind only Joker, Warner Bros. and DC's R-rated Batman spin-off that opened to $96 million in 2019. 

Swift still topped the box office this weekend, with Swifties powering The Eras Tour to the biggest-ever opening weekend for a concert movie — more than three times the $31 million of the previous record holder, 2008's Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour — and has already surpassed the $73 million total of 2011's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. The "1989" singer scored the seventh-highest opening weekend of the year, and could dethrone the $261 million global haul of 2009's Michael Jackson: This Is It. 

Officially described as an immersive, "once-in-a-lifetime concert film experience with a breathtaking, cinematic view of the history-making tour," Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour takes fans on a nearly 3-hour trip through Swift's discography with the exception of some songs cut from the Tour setlist. 

Coinciding with the release of her next re-recording album "1989 (Taylor's Version)," out October 27th, all adult tickets are priced at $19.89 (plus tax), while children's and senior tickets cost $13.13 (plus tax) except for branded premium large format screens, which costs nearly $29. The Eras Tour is playing in theaters Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with AMC Theatres securing a 13-week exclusive theatrical run before the concert film eventually lands on streaming.

With Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour boosting moviegoing, the October 12th previews were the start of what Michael O'Leary, CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners, called "another landmark weekend for cinemas."

"This year has been marked by unprecedented experiences for movie lovers in theaters across this nation," O'Leary said in a statement. "The Eras Tour debut proves, yet again, that fans are eager to share other experiences in a communal way, with theater owners working creatively to build memorable moments in their cinemas."