Meg Ryan’s upcoming movie has made a strategic move to avoid competing with Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated documentary, becoming the second film to do so on October 13.
In an announcement made by Bleecker Street on a recent Friday, it was revealed that “What Happens Later” would be rescheduling its release, opting to open in theaters three weeks later on November 3. This decision was prompted by the formidable competition Swift’s project presented.
The reshuffling of release dates occurred shortly after Universal Studios made a similar adjustment for their horror sequel, “The Exorcist: Believer.” The studio decided to move the film’s release up by a week to ensure it wouldn’t directly clash with Taylor Swift’s documentary event.
Taylor Swift, renowned for crushing records with her billion-dollar concert tour, is now set to illuminate the silver screen with a documentary that captures the essence of the music scene’s dominant force this past summer.
The documentary, titled “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” is slated to grace North American cinemas starting on October 13. Swift herself announced this exciting development on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, on a Thursday.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Swift described “The Eras Tour” as the most meaningful and electrifying experience of her life. She expressed her joy in bringing this unique cinematic experience to a broader audience.
Adding to the excitement, Swift encouraged fans to immerse themselves fully in the experience by embracing era-appropriate attire, wearing friendship bracelets, and actively participating in singing and dancing during the screenings.
This decision by Taylor Swift to release her documentary provides a significant and high-profile title to movie theater chains, including AMC Entertainment (AMC.N), Cineplex (CGX.TO), and Cinemark (CNK.N). It offers them a valuable asset to fill the voids left by the ongoing actors’ and writers’ strikes in Hollywood.
In contrast, Warner Bros (WBD.O) recently made headlines by delaying the release of the highly-anticipated “Dune: Part Two” from November to spring. The decision stemmed from the fact that striking actors would not be available to promote the sci-fi sequel during its original release window.
In the world of cinema, strategic release date decisions like these can significantly impact a film’s success, and Meg Ryan’s “What Happens Later” is the latest movie to make such a calculated move to avoid going head-to-head with Taylor Swift’s cinematic debut. As anticipation for both projects builds, moviegoers can look forward to an exciting cinematic lineup in the coming weeks.
