Taylor Swift's concert film, 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour', continued its box office dominance in the US over the weekend, outperforming Martin Scorsese's highly anticipated crime drama 'Killers of the Flower Moon'. The Eras Tour earned an estimated $31m from 3,855 locations in its second weekend, following a record-breaking opening of $92.8m. The film, distributed by AMC Theaters under an unconventional deal that limits screenings to Thursdays through Sundays, has become the highest-grossing concert film ever in North America, not accounting for inflation, with a global total of $164.8m.
Despite a steep 67% drop in sales from its opening weekend, the Eras Tour remains a unique cinematic event. In contrast, 'Killers of the Flower Moon', Apple Studios' first major theatrical release, debuted with $23m in North America, marking the third-best opening for the 80-year-old Scorsese after 'Shutter Island' and 'The Departed'. The film, which cost at least $200m to produce, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, and Robert De Niro, and runs for 206 minutes.
While the Scorsese film faces a challenging path to profitability, its debut is considered successful for an adult-oriented drama, a genre that has struggled at the box office recently. With rave reviews, an A- CinemaScore, and a robust Oscar campaign, 'Killers of the Flower Moon' is expected to perform well over time. Internationally, it earned $21m, bringing its global total to $44m.
The film also marks the best wide-release debut for a movie from a streaming company, as Apple and Amazon pursue more expansive theatrical strategies compared to Netflix's limited approach. Apple has committed to spending $1bn annually on films with theatrical releases before streaming, including upcoming titles like Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon' and Matthew Vaughn's 'Argylle'.
Other box office results saw 'Exorcist: The Believer' take third place with $5.6m, 'Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie' fourth with $4.5m, and a rerelease of Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' fifth with $4.1m. Notably, 44% of ticket buyers for 'Killers of the Flower Moon' were under 30, indicating broader appeal than expected.
