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Taylor Swift is bringing her latest album release to the big screen. Tickets went on sale Friday for "Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl," an 89-minute theatrical event that will premiere alongside the release of her 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," on Oct. 3.
The special program, described as a large-scale version of Swift’s private "secret sessions," will feature the debut of the music video for her new single, "The Fate of Ophelia." Screenings will run Oct. 3–5 across all 540 AMC Theatres in the U.S., as well as at Cinemark, Regal and other chains. International showings are planned in more than a dozen countries the same weekend.
AMC overwhelmed as Swifties rushed to buy tickets
The backstory:
Tickets launched at 12:12 p.m. ET — a nod to Swift’s well-known number, 12. Almost immediately, fans flooded AMC’s app and website, triggering a holding screen that cited "high traffic volume" and displayed a constant two-minute wait time, Variety reported. The notice informed buyers they would have 10 minutes to complete their purchase once their turn arrived.
AMC acknowledged the rush, saying in a statement: "The power of the Swifties remains unmatched! But rest assured, our website and mobile app are both stable, and we’re continuing to sell tickets online in big numbers."
What fans can expect at the ‘Showgirl’ release party
What we know:
Running 89 minutes, the program is designed as a theatrical counterpart to Swift’s famed "secret sessions." It will premiere the first music video from her 12th studio album, for the track "The Fate of Ophelia."
All 540 AMC locations in the U.S. will host screenings, alongside major partners like Cinemark and Regal. The event will kick off simultaneously across time zones at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT on Oct. 3.
Taylor Swift performs during a stop on her "Eras Tour." Fans flooded the AMC Theatres app Friday as tickets went on sale for her upcoming theatrical event, "The Official Release Party of a Showgirl." (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images)
AMC said guests will be encouraged to sing and dance during the screenings, though standing on seats or blocking aisles will not be permitted.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear exactly how many tickets were sold during the initial rush or whether the traffic led to significant disruptions beyond delays. AMC has not disclosed figures on opening-day sales or whether additional showtimes might be added if demand continues to spike.
International rollout
The release party will expand beyond North America, with simultaneous screenings in Canada, Mexico, the U.K., France, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Tickets in these markets go on sale Tuesday, AMC confirmed. Countries not included in the initial wave will receive the program later in October, with dates to be announced around the album release.
The overwhelming response continues Swift’s successful partnership with AMC Theatres Distribution, which previously handled her 2023 concert film, "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour." That movie generated more than $260 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing concert film in history.
The early surge for "The Life of a Showgirl" signals that Swift’s strategy of using theatrical premieres as album launch events may continue to reshape how music rollouts intersect with movie theaters.
The Source: This report is based on information from AMC Theatres and reporting from Variety. Additional background on Taylor Swift’s film releases comes from AMC press materials.