Movie

The Grammy winner's newest concert film triumphs over Martin Scorsese's crime drama film in domestic theaters, but the director outstrips the 'Anti-Hero' songstress at the international box office.

• Oct 23, 2023

AceShowbiz - "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" dances on "Killers of the Flower Moon". Taylor Swift's newest concert movie is unbeatable in the second weekend despite the arrival of Leonardo DiCaprio's new movie, which marks his sixth collaboration with Martin Scorsese.

The concert film added an estimated $31 million to its domestic haul, which has now crossed $100 million marks. The Sam Wrench-directed film has grossed $129.8 million domestically, becoming the first concert film in history to cross the $100 million mark domestically, not adjusted for inflation.

It is also the first independently released film in a decade to make that much in only two weekends, according to AMC which struck a deal with the Grammy winner to distribute the movie theatrically. The $15 million pic was self-financed by the pop superstar, which is a no-brainer.

Christopher Nolan recently praised Swift for her decision to cut out film studios and went straight to movie theaters. "Taylor Swift is about to show the studios, because her concert film is not being distributed by the studios, it's being distributed by the theatre owner, AMC, and it's going to make an enormous amount of money," the filmmaker said.

Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian calls the concert film "the kind of norms-busting innovative thinking that can bring bottom line dollars to theaters and a business model worth further exploration by the industry."

With the hype still high for Swift's concert pic in North America, "Killers of the Flower Moon" has to be content with the runner-up place in its first week. The movie adaptation of David Grann's non-fiction book of the same name made around $23 million domestically, which is not shabby for an adult drama.

It delivered the third-best nationwide opening of Scorsese's career behind 2010's "Shutter Island" ($41 million) and 2006's "The Departed" ($26.9 million), not adjusted for inflation. It also ties with "The Departed" and "Goodfellas" in receiving the best CinemaScores of his career, an A-.

"Flower Moon" wins over "The Eras Tour" movie overseas with $21 million from 62 international markets. Meanwhile, the concert film added $10.5 million in its second weekend of release for a sizeable $164.78 million worldwide so far.

"Reviews and audience scores are superb. And Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro are strong draws overseas," says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. "Between word-of-mouth, press coverage and eventual awards nominations, the picture is set up for a strong run now."

In a distant third place, "The Exorcist: Believer" quivers with an estimated $5.6 million in its third weekend. It has bagged $54.2 million domestically so far for a worldwide gross of $107.6 million.

"PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie" also slips one step to No. 4 with approximately $4.4 million for a domestic cume of $56 million through its fourth weekend. Trailing behind is the annual re-release of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas", which this year enters its 30th anniversary, with an estimated $4.1 million.

Top 10 of North America Box Office (Oct. 20-Oct. 22, 2023):

1. "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" - $31 million
2. "Killers of the Flower Moon" - $23 million
3. "The Exorcist: Believer" - $5.6 million
4. "PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie" - $4.4 million
5. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (30th Anniversary Re-Release) - $4.1 million
6. "Saw X" - $3.6 million
7. "The Creator" - $2.6 million
8. "A Haunting in Venice" - $1.1 million
9. "The Blind" - $1 million
10. "The Nun II" - $887,000