The box office for Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour" movie this weekend was anything but delicate.
Swifties grabbed their cardigans and took to theaters in droves, powering the film to number one and a $96 million gross likely beyond some box office analysts' wildest dreams.
After weeks of movies coming and going to little fanfare and lackluster receipts, it is fair to say that Swift's concert movie has helped the box office to shake it off.
Outside of North America, "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" added an additional $32 million, for a worldwide total of $128 million after its first weekend.
In second place, last weekend's first place finisher "The Exorcist: Believer" slid more than 58% from weekend one to $11 million.
Critics have excommunicated the latest "Exorcist" sequel and audience reactions have been similarly shunning, so a drop of less than 60% is actually ahead of expectations.
Still, Universal Pictures, Peacock and Blumhouse spent $400 million for the rights to make a trilogy of "Exorcist" sequels, and so far "Believer" has made just $85 million worldwide. $45 million of that comes from domestic ticket sales and $40 million from overseas.
In third, "PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie" added another $7 million to its box office haul. It has so far made nearly $50 million in the U.S. and more than $76 million overseas for a global total of more than $126 million, all on a reported budget of just $30 million.
In 4th place, the latest entry in the "Saw" franchise was off only 27% from last weekend with $5.7 million.
That is an unbelievable hold for a horror movie in its third weekend, and producers likely have spooky season driving a hunger for scary fare, as well as franchise best reviews and audience reactions, to thank for it.
"Saw X" has so far grossed more than $41 million domestically and nearly $30 million elsewhere for a worldwide total of more than $71 million, all on a budget of $13 million.
Rounding out the top five, "The Creator" fell 31% in its third weekend to $4.3 million. The dystopian sci-fi epic has so far made $32.4 million in North America and nearly $48 million overseas for a global take of $79 million.
Here are the top 10 films at this weekend's box office:
1. "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" ($96 million)
2. "The Exorcist: Believer" ($11 million)
3. "PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie" ($7 million)
4. "Saw X" ($5.7 million)
5. "The Creator" ($4.3 million)
6. "A Haunting in Venice" ($2.05 million)
7. "The Blind" ($2.02 million)
8. "The Nun II" ($1.6 million)
9. "The Equalizer 3" ($960,000)
10. "Dumb Money" ($920,000)
