The recent theatrical release of 'Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl' generated significant box office revenue over its three-day run, highlighting a trend of strong audience engagement for event-based cinematic content. This performance contrasts sharply with the debut of Dwayne Johnson's new drama, 'The Smashing Machine,' which recorded the lowest wide opening of his career.
Taylor Swift's latest venture into theaters, though limited, demonstrated considerable financial power, earning more than several films released in thousands of locations this year. Meanwhile, 'The Smashing Machine' struggled to attract audiences, raising questions about star power in a changing theatrical landscape.
Key Takeaways
- Taylor Swift's new theatrical event earned $33 million in three days.
- Dwayne Johnson's 'The Smashing Machine' opened to $6 million, a career low for wide releases.
- Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' surpassed previous box office records.
- 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle' continues strong global performance.
- Re-releases, including 'Avatar: The Way of Water,' show varied results.
Taylor Swift's Theatrical Impact Continues
Taylor Swift's connection with her fanbase translated into another successful theatrical release this past weekend. 'Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl' was shown for only three days. Despite this short window, the film achieved an estimated $33 million in revenue.
This figure is noteworthy. It surpasses the total earnings of at least 13, and possibly 14, films that were released in over 3,000 theaters throughout the current year. This performance underscores the strong demand for unique, event-style cinematic experiences, particularly those featuring major cultural figures like Swift.
Swift's Previous Box Office Success
In 2023, 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' opened to $92.8 million. This made it the second-highest October release ever, behind only 'Joker'. It ultimately grossed nearly $179 million domestically and almost $250 million worldwide, becoming the seventh-highest grossing October release in history.
Dwayne Johnson's Film Faces Challenges
In contrast, Dwayne Johnson's latest dramatic effort, 'The Smashing Machine,' faced a difficult opening weekend. The film, released in 3,345 theaters, generated only $6 million. This marks the lowest wide opening of Johnson's career, falling below his 2010 film 'Faster,' which opened with $8.5 million.
Industry observers did not expect 'The Smashing Machine' to be a blockbuster. However, its low opening weekend raises questions about the actor's box office drawing power when moving into more dramatic roles. The film's performance also places it outside the top 10 openings for its distributor, A24.
"This is the lowest wide opening of Johnson’s career, below even Faster, which started with $8.5 million and previously was the only one not to open to at least $10 million."
Johnson's Box Office History
Dwayne Johnson has starred in 23 films that opened to more than $10 million. Five of these opened above $20 million, and six above $30 million. Notable successes include 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' ($40 million opening), 'San Andreas' and 'Jumanji: The Next Level' (both in the $50 million range), and 'Hobbs & Shaw' and 'Black Adam' (both in the $60 million range). However, not all big openings translate to long-term success. Both 'Black Adam' and 'Red One' were considered significant financial disappointments.
Budget and Performance Concerns
Reports indicate that 'The Smashing Machine' cost approximately $50 million to produce. Given its opening weekend, the film is projected to struggle to match the opening weekend earnings of Johnson's supporting role in Michael Bay's 'Pain & Gain,' which grossed $20.2 million at its debut and finished just under $50 million.
This outcome suggests that while Johnson is attempting to broaden his acting range, the commercial viability of such projects may be challenging. His physical presence, often an advantage in action films, does not appear to have significantly boosted this dramatic release.
Paul Thomas Anderson's Film Achieves Milestones
Paul Thomas Anderson's critically acclaimed film, 'One Battle After Another,' has achieved new box office milestones. In just 10 days, the film has become Anderson's highest-grossing domestic release, surpassing 'There Will Be Blood's' previous record of $40.2 million.
After its second weekend, the film's domestic total reached $42.7 million. Globally, 'One Battle After Another' has also exceeded 'There Will Be Blood's' worldwide total of $76.4 million, now standing at over $101 million.
- Domestic Total: $42.7 million
- Global Total: Over $101 million
- Previous Record: 'There Will Be Blood' ($40.2 million domestic, $76.4 million global)
Despite its success, the film is expected to be Leonardo DiCaprio's second consecutive theatrical release, following 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' that will not reach $100 million domestically. However, these films often secure larger budgets due to star involvement, offsetting some of these concerns for studios.
'Killers of the Flower Moon' Comparison
'Killers of the Flower Moon' earned $40.9 million in its first 10 days. However, it saw a significant 59.9% drop in its second weekend, earning $9.3 million. It ultimately legged out to over $68 million during its awards season run. 'One Battle After Another' is on track to surpass $70 million domestically.
Other Notable Box Office Performances
Warner Bros.'s 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' continues to perform strongly, adding another $4 million this weekend. Its domestic total is now nearly $168 million, with a global total exceeding $458 million. This financial success can help cover potential losses from other, more artistically driven projects.
'Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie' dropped 62% in its second weekend, earning $5.2 million. The $32 million production has a domestic total of $21 million and a global total of $32.5 million. It aims to reach $30 million domestically.
Anime and Re-releases
The animated film 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle' continues its impressive run. In its fourth weekend, it added another $3.5 million, bringing its 2025 animation-leading domestic total to over $124 million. Globally, it has earned over $633 million, making it the fifth-highest-grossing film of the year worldwide.
Re-releases also saw varied results:
- 'Avatar: The Way of Water' re-issued with $2.5 million in 2,140 theaters. This is the fourth-best opening for a re-release this year.
- Other top re-issue openings this year include 'Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith' ($25.4 million), 'Jaws' ($8.2 million), and 'Toy Story' ($3.4 million).
Horror Films and Niche Releases
The horror genre saw mixed results. Renny Harlin's 'The Strangers: Chapter 2' earned $2.6 million in its second weekend, bringing its 10-day total to $11 million. Its performance raises questions about the future of the planned third chapter.
IFC's unique canine POV horror film, 'Good Boy,' opened to $2.2 million in 1,650 theaters. This is IFC's third-best result for a wide release, behind 'The Death of Stalin' ($3.19 million) and 'Late Night with the Devil' ($2.83 million).
Francis Lawrence's Stephen King adaptation, 'The Long Walk,' is down to $1.7 million this weekend, bringing its total after four weekends to $31.9 million domestically and over $40 million worldwide.
Independent and International Films
Outside the top 10, 'Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1' opened with an estimated $827,000 on Thursday, accumulating $2.3 million over four days. Bleecker Street's 'Bone Lake' opened to $828,000 in 1,059 theaters. Ronan Day-Lewis's 'Anemone,' featuring Daniel Day-Lewis, made $700,000 in 865 theaters. Neon's documentary 'Orwell: 2+2=5' grossed $26,561 in a single theater.
Upcoming Releases
Several new films are on the horizon. 'Tron: Ares,' the third installment in the Disney franchise, is set to continue the neon adventures. Channing Tatum stars in 'Roofman,' a true story about a criminal, which has garnered 82% critical approval after its Toronto premiere. Luca Guadagnino's 'After the Hunt,' starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Adebiri, currently holds a 50% critical rating.
Sundance premieres also anticipate release, including Bill Condon's musical 'Kiss of the Spider Woman,' starring Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, and Jennifer Lopez, with an 82% critical rating. A24 will also release Mary Bronstein's 'If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,' featuring Rose Byrne, which has a 95% critical rating.