{"id":279271,"date":"2025-10-05T10:15:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T10:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/279271\/"},"modified":"2025-10-05T10:15:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T10:15:18","slug":"taylor-swifts-showgirl-movie-swifties-flock-to-l-a-theaters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/279271\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ movie: Swifties flock to L.A. theaters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Only Taylor Swift could compel hundreds of Angelenos to spend their Saturday morning at a listening party film screening for an album they\u2019ve already heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl,\u201d which hit theaters this weekend for a limited three-day run, features the debut of the Swift-directed \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia\u201d music video, behind-the-scenes footage and notes from Swift about the inspiration for each of the songs on her new record, \u201cThe Life of a Showgirl.\u201d The 89-minute companion film opened to an estimated $15.8 million<\/a> on Friday and is projected to gross more than $30 million over the weekend.<\/p>\n

The box office success comes as no surprise, \u201cTaylor Swift: The Eras Tour\u201d brought in $96 million<\/a> in 2023 in its first four days in theaters and became the highest-grossing concert film of all time. Hitting 21 countries in 21 months, the Eras Tour itself earned more than $2 billion<\/a> in revenue, the first music tour to ever hit that milestone.<\/p>\n

Even as \u201cShowgirl\u201d seems destined to become Swift\u2019s most divisive album yet<\/a> \u2014 with critics and fans alike split in their reactions \u2014 the Taylormania was palpable Saturday morning at AMC Century City, which that day screened \u201cThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl\u201d 21 times across three screens.<\/p>\n

Madison Story, 34, made sure to catch the film at the luxury Dolby Cinema, calling \u201cShowgirl\u201d Swift\u2019s \u201cmost cinematic album yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was listening to it, I just pictured Nora Ephron movies,\u201d Story said. In true rom-com fashion, the longtime Swiftie wore a Lover cardigan. Others sported various Swift tour merch, sequined scarves and showgirl-inspired attire.<\/p>\n

\"Taylor <\/p>\n

Taylor Swift\u2019s new album, \u201cThe Life of a Showgirl,\u201d is advertised outside of AMC Century City 15, which is screening \u201cThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl.\u201d <\/p>\n

(Christina House \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

As theatergoers took their seats during the prelude to the show, Swift\u2019s \u201cReputation\u201d opener \u201cReady for It?\u201d played over a slideshow of \u201cShowgirl\u201d promo photos. At 10 a.m. on the dot, the screen went dark, then switched to an Eras Tour-style countdown clock<\/a> \u2014 set to 12 seconds, for Swift\u2019s 12th studio album (which, naturally, also features 12 songs).<\/p>\n

When Swift finally graced the screen to introduce the program, audience members were mesmerized. Hardly anyone made a peep.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Taylor, the official hypothetical showgirl in question,\u201d Swift said, telling the crowd that in making the movie that\u2019s not quite a movie, she was, as always, \u201ctrying to surprise you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you guys have a blast. I hope you sing along,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Despite Swift\u2019s invitation, and the help of lyric displays for each \u201cShowgirl\u201d track, the crowd was surprisingly quiet throughout the screening aside from a few rounds of applause and occasional laughter at Swift\u2019s trademark awkward-girl charisma. (\u201cMy bread is actually a music video star!\u201d was a crowd-pleaser.)<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like her quirkiness has been the same since she did [her] debut [album], and it\u2019s neat to see that that has lasted through all the different iterations and eras,\u201d said moviegoer Kelley Sheets, 30.<\/p>\n

Sheets and her friends Sarah Borland, 29, and Ariana Diaz, 30, were taken aback by the quiet atmosphere in the auditorium, especially compared to \u201cThe Eras Tour\u201d movie.\u201d They suspected the album might be too fresh for people to feel comfortable singing and dancing along.<\/p>\n

Attendees\u2019 low energy may have also been a symptom of the morning showtime. Still, their delight was clear from their wide smiles and intermittent head bobbing, most pronounced during the ear-catching \u201cOpalite\u201d chorus.<\/p>\n

As expected, some of Swift\u2019s more questionable lyrics \u2014 many of which were exponentially funnier as clean versions \u2014 garnered some chuckles, and \u201cActually Romantic,\u201d an alleged Charli XCX diss track, notably concluded without applause. But claps were generous for Swift\u2019s closer, which saw the artist sincerely thanking her fans for being her muse.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis album was completely inspired by the most incredible time of my life that was so exciting, because you made the Eras Tour what it was,\u201d Swift said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way that that tour felt, the way that it just kind of lit up my whole life, was such a through line of making this music,\u201d she said. \u201cSo thank you for being that unknowing inspiration behind the scenes. I was internalizing all of that love and putting it into that record.\u201d<\/p>\n

During Swift\u2019s album rollouts more than a decade ago, she hosted listening parties she dubbed \u201csecret sessions.\u201d<\/a> At these intimate gatherings, the singer gave select fans a sneak peek at her new music, explaining the inspiration for each track and even playing some songs live.<\/p>\n

Nick Eittreim, 28, was always jealous of the fans who got to attend those parties. With \u201cThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl,\u201d he said, \u201cIt\u2019s like I\u2019m finally invited to that \u2018secret session.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel Birnam, 30, said while the \u201csecret sessions\u201d were \u201csuch a special thing, it\u2019s nice that this is accessible to everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Taylor <\/p>\n

Taylor Swift fans Nick Eittreim and Melissa Roberts, both 28, arrive for \u201cThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl\u201d at AMC Century City 15 on Saturday.<\/p>\n

(Christina House \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Anthony Cendejas, a manager at AMC Century City, said the theater has been noticeably busier with the release of \u201cThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore people than usual are dressing up,\u201d Cendejas said, adding that many theatergoers have followed up their AMC visits with a stop at \u201cThe Life of a Showgirl\u201d TikTok fan activation, running until Oct. 9 in the Westfield Century City Atrium. The immersive experience allows visitors to take photos and videos on a series of sets replicating those in \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia\u201d music video.<\/p>\n

Jamie Phillips and her daughters Rowan, 11, and Finley, 12, visited the TikTok activation Saturday afternoon. The trio also brought the biggest Swiftie in their family, their Saint Bernard named Lincoln, along with them. In their family photos, Lincoln wore a feather boa to match Rowan and Finley\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Jamie Phillips, left, takes a photo of her daughters Finley, 12, center, and Rowan, 11, with their dog Lincoln at a TikTok fan activation for Taylor Swift\u2019s new album.<\/p>\n

(Christina House \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

When the Phillips family heard \u201cThe Life of a Showgirl\u201d for the first time, Jamie Phillips said, \u201cAll of us were pleasantly surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUsually it takes me, particularly with her albums, a lot of listens to be like, \u2018OK, it\u2019s OK,\u2019\u201d she said. But this one they loved on the first go-around.<\/p>\n

The trio hadn\u2019t yet made it to \u201cThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl,\u201d but they hoped to squeeze it in Sunday along with a \u201cGilmore Girls\u201d anniversary event at the Grove.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, they couldn\u2019t wait to get back home, where their \u201cShowgirl\u201d merch was waiting for them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Only Taylor Swift could compel hundreds of Angelenos to spend their Saturday morning at a listening party film…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":279272,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[12260,144379,1582,276,114569,1888,58284,2961,2252,224,5337,3196,1013,130841,5973,86095,19514,3571,1148,6620],"class_list":{"0":"post-279271","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-album","9":"tag-applause","10":"tag-ca","11":"tag-california","12":"tag-era-tour","13":"tag-fan","14":"tag-inspiration","15":"tag-la","16":"tag-life","17":"tag-los-angeles","18":"tag-losangeles","19":"tag-movie","20":"tag-music-video","21":"tag-release-party","22":"tag-screen","23":"tag-showgirl","24":"tag-song","25":"tag-taylor-swift","26":"tag-theater","27":"tag-time"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115321040008934902","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=279271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/279272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=279271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=279271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=279271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}