Christopher Nolan says Hollywood can learn a lot from Taylor Swift

taylor swift the eras tour — (Image credit: Trafalgar Releasing)

Miss Americana herself Taylor Swift recently received a shout-out from none other than legendary director Christopher Nolan, who praised the singer for the way she chose to release her new blockbuster concert movie The Eras Tour.

During a City University of New York event on October 11, just a few days before Swift’s The Eras Tour opened in theaters, the director discussed the singer’s choice to bypass major Hollywood streamers and studios and partner directly with AMC Theatres to distribute the film instead.

"Taylor Swift is about to show the studios because her concert film is not being distributed by the studios, it’s being distributed by a theater owner, AMC, and it’s going to make an enormous amount of money," the Oppenheimer director said. "And this is the thing, [theatrical exhibition is] a format and a way of seeing things and sharing stories, or sharing experiences, that’s incredibly valuable. And if [the studios] don’t want it, somebody else will. So that’s just the truth of it."

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Earlier this year, after negotiations with the major film studios fell through, Swift worked out an unusual deal with AMC theatres in which she gets to take home around 57% of ticket sales, with AMC taking a much smaller distribution fee. The singer’s self-produced smash hit grossed $92.8 million in North America and $123.5 million globally in its opening weekend, making it the seventh-biggest opening of 2023 and the biggest debut ever for a concert film. Variety estimates that Swift stands to make north of $60 million thanks to the AMC deal.

Nolan himself is no stranger to this year's stream of movie success, with his newest box office buster Oppenheimer starring Cillian Murphy opening to $942 million at the worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing biopic in film history.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is out in theatres Now. Oppenheimer will be available on digital platforms starting November 21. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2023 and beyond.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.