Listen, I’m a die-hard Swiftie. I’ve analyzed her endless Easter eggs, had Taylor top my Spotify Wrapped for years, and you better believe I checked out the Eras Tour this summer. The concert was one of the most memorable experiences of my life — I made and traded friendship bracelets with fellow Swifties and sang every word to every song while I was at the show. I even went to the Eras Tour concert film and loved reliving every second of the extravaganza.
Swift’s highly anticipated concert flick premiered in theaters earlier this fall, and it smashed records. CNBC reported that it’s the highest-grossing domestic concert film ever, bringing in between $95 million and $97 million. Recently, Swift announced that the Eras Tour will be coming to living rooms, as the film has been released for rent on several on-demand services.
So, if you got snubbed in that Ticketmaster debacle, or if you just want to relive the magic that was the Eras Tour, I’ve got you covered with all the important information you’ll want to know before attending.
For more entertainment-related fare, here are 10 things you can do to save money on streaming, and here are the best smart TVs of 2023.
What is the Eras Tour?
Swift’s stadium tour swept through more than a dozen US cities plus Mexico City this summer. The Eras Tour is a love letter to her impressive musical career and the fans who have seen her through it. But that doesn’t mean that the tour doesn’t have massive public appeal. The tour is projected to gross $1 billion, including Swift’s overseas tour next spring.
That billion dollars is, by all accounts, a fantastic measure of Swift’s power, but it doesn’t even account for the thousands of fans who attended her concerts from parking lots and bridges outside of the concert venues this year. Already, Swift’s journey around the US has proved an economic boon to host cities.
So, what is the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film?
Filmed over her Los Angeles dates at the SoFi stadium, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a two-hour, 45-minute chronicle of her hit tour. For fans who are familiar with the tour, this raises some questions as to what has been cut from the film. The concert I attended ran for about 3 hours, but by the end of the tour it was about three and a half hours long. However, curious fans finally have their answers.
The film had its premiere on Oct. 11, and we finally know what’s been cut. Be warned, I’m going to get into some major spoilers for the concert film, so if you want to be surprised while you watch, just go ahead and skip this section.
It looks like Swift has nixed five songs from the setlist she performed the nights she recorded the film. Entertainment Weekly reports that the songs No Body, No Crime; Long Live; Wildest Dreams; The Archer and Cardigan were all cut from the concert film. However, fans of Long Live do have some recompense. The song plays over tour bloopers and videos of fans during the credits.
Of the six surprise songs she recorded (Swift performs these during the rotating acoustic portion of the show), the songs Our Song and You’re On Your Own, Kid ended up making the final cut. Fans can also expect to see shortened costume changes and transitions between Swift’s different eras in the film.
How long is Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film in theaters?
Swift’s concert film hit theaters worldwide on Oct. 13. According to Insider, the film had to be shown in theaters for four weeks following its release. Insider said Swift circumvented Hollywood studios and negotiated the film’s distribution directly with AMC, allowing her to have more control. Time has reported that Swift’s concert film has brought home an impressive $248.9 million at the box office, cementing itself as the highest grossing concert film at the US box office. Given this accomplishment, it’s safe to say the concert film will be hanging around theaters for a while.
How can I get Swift movie tickets?
You can buy tickets to the concert film where you would ordinarily buy tickets to most movies, either online or at an in-person box office.
Swift’s website has links to sites where you can buy tickets through AMC, Regal, Cinemark and Fandango. You could check your local indie theater’s website too, to see whether it’s showing the concert film.
Fan reaction to ticket sales was, um, swift. Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Cinemark‘s chief marketing and content officer, told me that the company saw “frenzied traffic to [its] website and app the moment tickets went on sale” and that “we are ready for Swifties to be enchanted by this concert film in the unprecedented number of auditoriums we have booked to meet demand.”
How much do tickets cost?
Adult tickets go for $19.89, which is a nod to the year of Swift’s birth and the title of her fifth studio album, 1989. (Fans also know that the album 1989 is about to get the Taylor’s Version treatment, with the artist’s rerecording of the album dropping 14 days after the film hits theaters.) Seniors and children’s tickets go for $13.13, a nod to Swift’s lucky number.
Right now, it’s unclear whether subscribers to paid theater subscriptions Regal Unlimited will be able to use the deals available to them on tickets for this film, given the special pricing. In a FAQ on AMC’s website, the company said that this film is excluded from the company’s A-List program’s reservation feature.
Cinemark confirmed to CNET that members of the Cinemark Movie Club can apply all standard benefits of the membership.
Can I treat this like a normal concert?
While a concert film can be exciting and almost feel like a real concert, it’s best practice to be respectful of other theatergoers both in your showing and in other showings at the theater.
This doesn’t mean you can’t keep up with other Eras Tour practices, like wearing a fun costume based on Swift’s songs and lyrics or making and trading friendship bracelets with other Swifties. You could even quietly sing along and dance in your seat… as long as you’re considerate of viewers around you and don’t interrupt others’ viewing experience.
If you’re attending the film at an AMC theater, then you’re in luck. The company has provided you with guidelines for how to behave during the film — and it all boils down to being respectful of those around you.
I saw the concert film at an indie theater, and in my experience, people were pretty quiet during the film. There was no singing loud enough for me to detect, and the only people who danced in my theater were several smaller children. Based on my experience, my recommendation would be to go in with the expectation of watching this film just like you would any other movie.
However, if you just have to sing and dance along to all of your favorite Taylor Swift hits (which I totally understand the urge to do) you do have some options. In a press release distributed to CNET, Cinemark announced Private Swiftie Parties — an extension of its Private Watch Parties offering — that allow fans to reserve an entire auditorium for singing and dancing. In the release, Fearing said “our larger-than-life screens and captivating surround sound deliver a most enchanting environment to sing and dance along with friends and family to the concert of the decade.” Right now, these Private Swiftie Parties are on sale on Cinemark’s website and app. The watch parties are available at participating locations for $800 and can accommodate up to 40 fans.
How can I watch the concert film at home?
This week, Swift announced that the Eras Tour concert film, extended version, will be available to rent on Dec. 13 (none other than the singer’s birthday) on Apple TV, Vudu, Prime Video, Xfinity, Google Play and YouTube. Fans can expect a bit of extra content from the extended version — with previously cut songs Wildest Dreams, The Archer, and Long Live being added back in. There’s no official word on pricing yet, but we’ll update this story once prices have been released.
There’s not an exact date on when we can expect the concert film on streaming services. However, TV Line reports that Swift can’t put her concert film on streaming platforms for 13 weeks after the film comes out. So Jan. 12, 2024, would be the earliest possible date the film could wind up on a streaming service.
As a seasoned Swiftie, however, my recommendation would be to keep a close eye on any hints Swift might give over the next few months for a streaming release date. Her well-known Easter eggs have given fans clues to album release dates and music video drops, so it’s possible she’ll use one to reveal the film’s streaming debut.
For more, here’s the best TVs of 2023 and the best streaming services of 2023.
