Walt Disney Co. announced Wednesday that it secured streaming rights to last year’s smash hit film in a deal that demonstrated, once again, the enormous appeal — and economic prowess — of the pop superstar.
The movie was one of last year’s biggest hits. Distributed by AMC Theatres, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” collected $96 million in ticket sales during its first four days at the domestic box office — the highest opening ever for a concert film. It went on to become the 10th highest grossing movie of 2023 in the U.S. and Canada with about $179 million, according to measurement firm Comscore.
Worldwide, the film raked in more than $260 million.
The arrangement continues Swift’s association with the Burbank entertainment giant. Disney+ is already the home of Swift’s “Folklore: Long Pond Studio Sessions,” which saw the singer perform intimate renditions of the tracks on her Grammy-winning eighth studio album at Long Pond Studio in New York.
The extended “Taylor’s Version” of the Eras Tour movie will include songs not featured in the theatrical release, including the “Folklore” single “Cardigan” and unspecified acoustic performances (likely culled from the rotating “surprise songs” portion of Swift’s set).
Disney did not disclose what it’s paying for the streaming rights to the concert film.
Swift was the big winner at Sunday night’s 66th Grammy Awards, collecting the album of the year award for “Midnights” and setting a new record for the most wins by an artist in the annual ceremony’s most prestigious category. Swift announced the April release of a new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” earlier in the evening when she accepted the award for pop vocal album.
The North American leg of Swift’s Ticketmaster-breaking greatest hits tour is estimated to have earned more than $700 million in ticket sales and elevated the “Cruel Summer” hitmaker to billionaire status. The concert movie was filmed during Swift’s six-night stint at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
Since then, the global pop sensation has taken her concert overseas. She is slated to perform several shows in Tokyo this week before her boyfriend, NFL superstar Travis Kelce, is set to play in this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas.