NEW YORK (AP) — In an unlikely movie match-up akin to “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese found himself pitted against Taylor Swift at the box office over the weekend. While “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” reigned supreme for the second time, Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” had an impressive start as Apple Studios’ first major theatrical endeavor.
Following a record-breaking opening weekend of $92.8 million, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” brought in an estimated $31 million over the weekend from 3,855 locations according to AMC Theaters. In a unique agreement, the theater chain exclusively distributes Swift’s concert film, screening it only from Thursdays through Sundays.
Most Swifties flocked to see the film during its opening weekend, with a significant portion of sales driven by advance ticketing. However, sales dropped sharply by 67% in the second weekend, suggesting that “The Eras Tour” was primarily an opening-weekend phenomenon.
Nevertheless, “The Eras Tour” has proven to be an unparalleled movie event. Within days, it became the highest grossing concert film in North America, without adjusting for inflation. It has now amassed a staggering $129.8 million domestically.
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” a historical crime drama centered on a series of murders against the Osage nation in the 1920s, had more at stake. With a production cost of at least $200 million, it is also Apple Studios’ most ambitious project. The streaming platform partnered with Paramount Pictures to release Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of David Grann’s bestseller in 3,628 theaters. It will later be available for streaming on Apple TV+ at an undisclosed date.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” debuted with $23 million, marking the third-best opening for the 80-year-old Scorsese, placing it behind “Shutter Island” ($41 million in 2010) and “The Departed” ($26.9 million in 2006). Although profitability may be challenging for this 206-minute-long adult-oriented drama, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, and Robert De Niro, it nevertheless had a successful launch. This type of film, apart from “Oppenheimer,” has struggled significantly at the box office in recent years.
With rave reviews, an “A-” CinemaScore from audiences, and a strong Oscar campaign, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is expected to continue performing well in the long run. It also generated $21 million in overseas sales.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” also holds the distinction of being the best wide-release debut for a film from a streaming company. While Netflix has mostly pursued a limited approach to theatrical release, Apple and Amazon, which recently acquired MGM, have adopted more expansive strategies.
Earlier this year, Apple announced plans to spend $1 billion annually on movies that will have theatrical releases prior to their availability on the streaming service. Apple is also behind Ridley Scott’s upcoming film “Napoleon,” featuring Joaquin Phoenix, which will be distributed by Sony Pictures on November 22. Additionally, Apple partnered with Universal for Matthew Vaughn’s “Argylle,” scheduled for release on February 2.
Initially, Paramount was set to produce and distribute “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but eventually shifted the project to Apple due to increasing costs during the pandemic.
“If ‘flexibility’ is the new mantra of the theatrical movie business, then this is a significant success — it establishes a viable option for the companies,” said David A. Gross, who operates the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, regarding the launch of “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Despite their differences, both “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” share lengthy running times. A back-to-back screening of the top two movies would consume six hours and 14 minutes, not including advertisements and trailers.
Interestingly, “Killers of the Flower Moon” attracted a larger-than-expected number of young moviegoers. Paramount reported that 44% of ticket buyers were under the age of 30.
In its third weekend of release, “Exorcist: The Believer,” the horror sequel directed by David Gordon Green, claimed a distant third place with $5.6 million. The Universal and Blumhouse film has earned $54.2 million domestically.
“PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” secured the fourth spot with $4.5 million in its fourth weekend. The fifth spot was claimed by the re-release of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” which collected $4.1 million, marking 30 years since its initial theatrical premiere.
The reported ticket sales for Friday through Sunday are specific to theaters in the United States and Canada, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.
1. “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” $31 million.
2. “Killers of the Flower Moon,” $23 million.
3. “Exorcist: The Believer,” $5.6 million.
4. “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” $4.5 million.
5. “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” $4.1 million.
6. “Saw X,” $3.6 million.
7. “The Creator,” $2.6 million.
8. “Leo: Bloody Sweet,” $2.1 million.
9. “A Haunting in Venice,” $1.1 million.
10. “The Blind,” $1 million.
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This story has been updated to correct the weekend gross of “Exorcist: The Believer” to $5.6 million and the weekend gross of “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” to $4.5 million.
