Taylor Swift is preparing for another big-screen moment.

The pop superstar returns to theaters this weekend with Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, a three-day cinema event tied to her new album The Life of a Showgirl, which arrives Friday. The program will feature the world premiere of the music video for lead single The Fate of Ophelia, additional videos, and behind-the-scenes footage.

The event is expected to easily lead the Oct. 3–Oct. 5 box office. Early tracking suggests a domestic debut around $35 million, while distributor AMC Theatres is offering a more conservative range of $25 million to $30 million. Even on the low end, the release would top the weekend’s competition by a wide margin.

That includes A24’s The Smashing Machine, a wrestling drama starring Dwayne Johnson and directed by Benny Safdie. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, is projected to open between $12 million and $14 million. Based on the life of UFC fighter Mark Kerr, the story follows his struggles with trauma and painkiller addiction. The project reunites Johnson with Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who played a central role in connecting Johnson with Safdie.

Another title in play is James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, returning exclusively in 3D ahead of December’s release of Avatar: Ash and Fire. The rerelease will play in 90 percent of domestic Imax theaters, though it will share premium screens such as Dolby Cinema with Swift’s event. The film is forecast to gross $3 million to $4 million from 2,100 theaters, with some rivals suggesting it could approach $5 million.

Swift’s Showgirl event is scheduled only for Oct. 3–5. The project was kept under wraps until Sept. 19, when Swift announced it on social media. Advance tickets went on sale that day at 12:12 p.m. local time for $12, a nod to her 12th studio album and her recurring use of the number 12. Premium formats, including IMAX, are priced higher.

“I hereby invite you to a dazzling soirée, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl: Oct 3 – Oct 5 only in cinemas,” Swift wrote in her announcement. She promised fans the exclusive premiere of The Fate of Ophelia, along with behind-the-scenes footage, lyric videos, and commentary on the making of the album.

Swift has a proven track record at the box office. Her concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour opened to $93.2 million domestically in 2023 on its way to $261.6 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing concert film of all time. Like that project, Showgirl is being released through AMC Theatres Distribution, this time in partnership with Variance Films in the U.S. and Canada and Piece of Magic Entertainment in international markets.

The 90-minute film opens this weekend in 18 overseas territories before rolling out further in October. Domestic screenings begin Oct. 3 at 3 p.m. local time, coinciding with the album’s release.

Both Avatar: The Way of Water and The Smashing Machine will launch with Thursday previews.

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