Spoiler alert: This story includes details about what made the final cut.
Taylor Swift debuted her highly anticipated film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, and everyone is buzzing about the onscreen spectacle. Yahoo Entertainment attended the premiere where Swift herself was spotted singing and dancing through the nearly three-hour film. (It’s pretty impossible not to sing along.)
Here’s everything you need to know about Swift’s concert movie that’s about to break records.
Is it only a concert movie?
Yes. It’s not a behind-the-scenes kind of documentary like Swift’s previous film Miss Americana, which dropped on Netflix in 2020. For those who found themselves shut out of the Eras Tour thanks to Ticketmaster, this is the next best thing as you’re essentially front row for the concert.
How long is it?
Two hours and 48 minutes.
Does that mean certain songs got axed?
Correct. Each stop on The Eras Tour clocked in at more than three hours, so due to time, a few of Swift’s performances didn’t make the cut: “The Archer,” “No Body, No Crime,” “‘Tis the Damn Season,” “Long Live,” “Cardigan” and “Wildest Dreams.”
Which concert performance does the movie feature?
The film is compiled from Swift’s concerts at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium. She performed six sold-out shows back-to-back in August to wrap up the U.S. leg of her tour.
What surprise songs made it into the film?
“Our Song” and the fan-favorite, “You’re On Your Own, Kid.”
Are there any celebrity cameos?
Nope. But there were plenty at her premiere on Wednesday night, like Beyoncé and Adam Sandler.
Where is the movie playing? And why is that such a big deal?
The film will screen at all AMC theaters in the U.S. In an unprecedented move, AMC Theaters and Swift’s team reached a deal in August allowing the theater chain to distribute the film directly via a partnership with Variance Films. Swift is a producer. The theaters will receive 43% of the ticket grosses. The partnership circumvents Hollywood studios amid the SAG-AFTRA strike and there are no announced plans for the movie to hit streaming platforms.
When will it be released?
Originally set for a Friday release, Swift announced ahead of last night’s premiere that Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour will hit theaters on Thursday because of insane demand. Additional screenings have also been added throughout the weekend in theaters nationwide.
What’s it rated?
The film is officially rated PG-13 due to “some strong language and suggestive materials.” Many parents of Swift’s young fans say they don’t care and plan to take their children anyways. No wonder Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is about to set records.
What are critics saying?
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour debuted with a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes at the time this article was published. In a review, Variety called the film “as exhilarating on screen as in the flesh.” The Wrap declared the movie “a bombastic celebration of joy and color.” The Hollywood Reporter found the film to be “a sometimes exhausting, often exhilarating, [and] always impressively immersive screen experience.”
Is it eligible for the Oscars?
Sorry, Swifties. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour movie is not eligible to submit or compete for an Academy Award nomination for documentary feature (or any technical category) per current guidelines.
The Documentary Branch defines a documentary film as “a theatrically released nonfiction motion picture dealing creatively with cultural, artistic, historical, social, scientific, economic or other subjects. It may be photographed in actual occurrence, or may employ partial reenactment, stock footage, stills, animation, stop-motion or other techniques, as long as the emphasis is on fact and not on fiction.”
How long before Swift’s loyal fans get this bylaw changed?
How much has the movie made?
The film has already raked in more than $100 million in advance global ticket sales. It beat out Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011), which previously held the record for highest-grossing concert film with $99 million.
How much will it make?
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is projected to make a lot more. Early estimates suggest it will make at least $125 million, per Variety. For comparison, Barbie debuted to $162 million domestically, which was the biggest opening weekend in history for a movie directed by a woman.
