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E-mail China.org.cn, January 3, 2024
For her Chinese fans, the "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" is like attending a concert by the superstar. They danced and sang in theaters all along with the unique, immersive, and fresh concert movie experience.
A still image from "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour." [Photo courtesy of Alibaba Pictures]
On Dec. 31, 2023, the opening day of "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour," the entertainer's excited Chinese fans gathered to sing, dance, and jump up and down in front of IMAX and other cinema screens while others screamed and waved glow sticks. The atmosphere was as if they were truly attending a Swift concert, mirroring scenes that have taken place in theaters globally upon the release of the film.
Directed by Sam Wrench, it chronicles Swift's Eras Tour in 2023 in support of different eras of her career and releases in her discography. Swift, unable to secure a deal with major film studios, entered into an unprecedented distribution agreement with AMC Theatres and Cinemark Theatres for the film. Released globally in October, the film's popularity soared due to Swift's superstardom, resulting in significant ticket demand. The film went on to become the highest-grossing concert film ever, earning $250.3 million worldwide so far – excluding takings in China – a feat recognized in the 2023 Guinness World Records. Alibaba Pictures eventually facilitated its entry into the Chinese market at the end of 2023.
A photo captures excited Chinese audiences rocking alonimag with Taylor Swift on the big screen inside an IMAX theater in Beijing, Dec. 31, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Lima]
In two days during the New Year's Day holiday film season in China, the film grossed 49 million yuan and garnered the highest number of ticket presales for a foreign film in 2023. However, despite fans enthusiastically showing up on the opening day, "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" still faces the challenge of maintaining momentum among average movie audiences in China during its theatrical run.
Chinese audiences have rarely embraced concert films in theaters. Similar precedent examples include "Mayday Life," "Open Fire," and the very first such film in the country, "Michael Jackson's This Is It," which were all met with noisy scenes of devoted fans inside theaters. However, Jackson's "This Is It," is actually more of a documentary film than a concert film as it focused on preparation for a concert that never came to fruition due to Jackson's untimely death before the performances could take place in 2009.
A Chinese IMAX poster for "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour." [Image courtesy of IMAX China]
The Eras Tour is the ongoing sixth concert tour of Taylor Swift, featuring 151 shows across five continents already. It stands as the highest-grossing tour of all time and is the first to surpass $1 billion in revenue, as reported by Pollstar in December 2023. Swift has become a sensational pop icon and an economic engine, stimulating local economies wherever she performs, earning her a place on Time magazine's coveted Person of the Year cover. The tour has been extended into 2024, reaching more cities worldwide. However, there is no word yet on whether the singer will include China in her performances.
The singer-songwriter, who is signed to Republic Records label under Universal Music Group, previously performed in Shanghai in 2014 and 2015 to sold-out arenas. Additionally, she also participated in a special gala show organized by Alibaba Group in 2019.
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