Taylor Swift 'Angers' Big Studios After Partnering With AMC Theatres Amid Strikes For Eras Tour Movie

There will be a film adaptation of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour playing at AMC Theatres starting October 13; in fact, AMC is in charge of distributing it too. As reported by The Mirror, Swift's family struck this unprecedented arrangement with the theater chain's CEO, Adam Aron. Apparently, a mutual friend of Aron and Swift's father brought the idea to the executive after numerous studios rejected their attempts to release the 2-hour, 45-minute documentary. Aron predictably jumped at the chance to showcase the record-breaking tour because AMC Theatres is in financial trouble and because there is a lot of uncertainty in Hollywood right now due to the writer's strikes. 

The business decision astounded Hollywood studios, which were already suffering from the effects of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. After all, due to the continuing strike, production on numerous series has already ceased. This includes fan favorites, including Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, and Yellowjackets. In other words, till the strike goes on, fans will have to wait longer for new episodes of their favorite series. Los Angeles' output has dropped to its lowest level since the COVID-19 epidemic as a result of the two strikes. The 160,000 members of SAG-AFTRA include not just actors and actresses but also broadcast journalists, program hosts, puppeteers, stunt performers, and voiceover artists. The whole actors' and performers' caucus has gone on strike against the big Hollywood studios.

The earnings at the box office are expected to be huge. According to Insider, AMC revealed that Taylor's film earned more in single-day advance sales than Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was the previous film to hold the record. In fact, the theaters screening the Eras tour movie are required to run the film for a minimum of four weeks. While the partnership is beneficial for AMC in the long run, the box office won't be a primary source of income for the chain. Puck News stated that the other theaters screening the film will get 43% of the box office income, while the Swifts and AMC will split the remaining 57%, with the former family earning the lion's portion. 

According to multiple sources contacted by IndieWire, the distribution executives, who were obviously very interested in knowing about the concert film release, were informed about this move later through a phone call or a press release. The only 'insiders' who were aware of the deal were AMC and Cinemark. Given that AMC is one of the biggest chains in the country, it has led to major frustration for its studio partners. When it comes to announcing release dates, distributors seldom shock each other. Studios anticipate having a head start to protect their films' priority at the box office.

However, several movies that were already set to be released around the same dates may now suffer due to the limited availability of screens. As per sources, Swift's team, not AMC, is in charge of the release's parameters, including the announcement. The concert film ticket prices have also reportedly been decided beforehand, which is quite rare since distributors aren't supposed to set rates for tickets. This goes against standard practice since matinees, senior discounts, and regional pricing all tend to be treated differently.