Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is in theaters all around the world now, and the title is well on its way to making history. The singer’s movie, which showcases her current The Eras Tour, is killing it at the box office, and it is expected to become one of the top-grossing concert films of all time after its opening weekend. By the time Swift’s picture is done in theaters, it will surely rank as the most successful performance release ever.
What competition does Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour face on its way to making history in this manner?
Currently, the record for the highest-grossing concert movie of all time belongs to Michael Jackson’s This Is It. Released in the wake of his untimely passing, the concert film and documentary provided an intimate look at the legendary artist’s preparations for a tour that was set to be his final trek. By the time it concluded its theatrical run, This Is It had amassed an astounding $261 million at the box office.
This Is It stands as the only concert movie to break the $100 million mark at the box office, a feat that has yet to be surpassed. However, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour set new records by raking in at least $100 million in advance ticket sales, so Jackson’s milestone is about to be officially beaten.
In the second spot for highest-grossing concert films is Justin Bieber’s Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which was released in 2011. The young pop star’s movie earned just over $99 million worldwide, coming very close to that $100 million milestone.
Miley Cyrus, who was also known as Hannah Montana at the time, lands in third place with Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert. The 2008 release brought in a little under $71 million at the box office, setting a record until Jackson’s This Is It surpassed it several times over the following year.
Rounding out the top five in the musical concert film category are One Direction: This Is Us, with $68 million in box office earnings, and Katy Perry: Part of Me, which grossed $32.7 million.
An honorary mention goes to K-pop sensation BTS, whose BTS Permission to Dance on Stage – Seoul: Live Viewing also achieved box office success. That title missed out on tying Perry’s total by just $100,000.
This ranking changes when comedy performances are taken into account. Films featuring comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac, along with the legendary Richard Pryor, have also proven to be box office hits. While these films aren’t traditional concerts, they are categorized as performance films and sometimes included in rankings alongside musical concert films.
As Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour continues its impressive theatrical run, projections suggest that it could make as much as $200 million in its opening weekend. By the time it departs from theaters, the total earnings may grow by tens of millions of dollars, if not another $100 million.
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