UK-Ireland box office preview: ‘Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party Of A Showgirl’ opens in cinemas

Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party Of A Showgirl is the key release in UK and Ireland cinemas this weekend as the musician looks to dominate the box office once again.

The 89-minute film - looking at the making of Swift’s latest album The Life Of A Showgirl - is being released in 656 cinemas via Piece of Magic Entertainment, with showings beginning today (October 3) at 20:00 BST and running until Sunday (October 5).

Swift’s last event release, concert documentary The Eras Tour, opened to £5.7m in the UK & Ireland in October 2023 through Trafalgar Releasing, becoming the highest-grossing event cinema release ever after just three days. It totalled £12.3m in the territory, and took $261m worldwide, including $178m in North America. Early reports suggested that pre-sales for Party Of A Showgirl had already outstripped The Eras Tour pre-sales a week before release.

The Official Release Party Of A Showgirl will feature the music video for ‘The Fate of Ophelia’, the lead single from the album; as well as behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot, new lyric videos, and Swift’s reflections on the songs from what is her 12^th studio album.

The film’s main competitor will be Warner Bros’ One Battle After Another which opened on £2.4m last week and could benefit from strong word-of-mouth.

Further releases

Elsewhere, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt star in Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine which Entertainment Film Distributors is opening in 650 venues. Johnson plays mixed-martial arts and UFC champion Mark Kerr while Blunt plays his then-wife Dawn Staples. The film premiered at Venice where Safdie won the Silver Lion for best director. It is a pivot for Johnson who is most associated with big-budget franchises, including Moana (£2.2m and £12m openings); Jumanji (£4.4m and £5.2m openings) and Fast & Furious (£5-15m openings).

Universal is launching horror title Him in 432 sites. Produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, the film follows a young athlete who is invited to train with a legendary champion. Directed by Justin Tipping, cast include Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox. Peele’s own titles have held their own at the box office with both 2017’s Get Out and 2019’s Us grossing over £10m.

Paramount is screening a limited release of Dora: Magic Mermaid Adventures in 578 venues.

Disney is re-releasing James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water in 430 locations ahead of the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash this December. The second instalment in the Avatar series, released in 2022, has already grossed over £77m. Further re-releases include GoldenEye in 367 sites via Park Circus.

South African drama Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight launches in 105 cinemas for Sony.

Indian romantic comedy Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is screening in 103 venues for Moviegoers Entertainment after opening on Thursday (October 2).

Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut Urchin is opening in 68 locations via Picturehouse Entertainment. It premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard earlier this year where it picked up the Fipresci prize and best actor for Frank Dillane. The story centres on a young addict living on the streets of London who is struggling to break the cycle.

Jackie Chan stars in action thriller The Shadow’s Edge which opens in 39 sites for Trinity Film and Cine Asia. The film has already topped $165m at the global box office.

Vertigo is launching French comedy Mr Blake At Your Service in 25 cinemas. John Malkovich stars as a recently retired British businessman who takes a job as a butler in France to feel close to his late wife. 

More event releases are out this weekend including Tosca - ROH London 2025 in 230 cinemas via Trafalgar Releasing and Radiohead X Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Horror in 22 sites via CinemaLive.

The Partisan launches in 18 sites via Signature Entertainment. James Marquand’s film is inspired by the true story of a Polish spy working for the British behind enemy lines during the Second World War.

Tull Stories is opening French comedy The Kitchen Brigade across 10 venues.

Further releases include Kathryn Bigelow’s A House Of Dynamite via Netflix; The Curse Of Frankenstein via Icon Film Distribution; and activism documentary Power Station via Dartmouth Films.

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