<\/p>\n
LOS ANGELES<\/strong> \u2013 This weekend\u2019s box office belonged to two undeniable draws: Taylor Swift<\/a> and Dwayne \u201cThe Rock\u201d Johnson.<\/a><\/p>\n It might have looked like a heavyweight matchup, but Swift\u2019s devoted fanbase<\/a> once again proved unstoppable with her film \u201cThe Official Release Party of a Show Girl,\u201d which debuted at No. 1 with $33 million in North America, according to Sunday estimates from Comscore. The AMC Theatres release — announced only two weeks ago<\/a> with minimal promotion — served as a companion piece to Swift\u2019s 12th studio album<\/a>, packaging music videos, behind-the-scenes footage and profanity-free lyric visuals into an 89-minute experience.<\/p>\n The film played at all 540 AMC theaters in the U.S. for three days, ending after Sunday. AMC aired the show in Mexico, Canada and across Europe.<\/p>\n \u201cFor Taylor Swift to harness the power of the movie theater to build her brand, create excitement among her fans, and create a communal experience outside of her touring, outside of her live performances, is really a stroke of genius,\u201d said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. \u201cTo be able to add another $33 million to the box office bottom line is much welcomed by theater owners who were looking for content for their big screens.\u201d <\/p>\n It comes nearly two years after her \u201cThe Eras Tour\u201d concert film opened to $96 million<\/a>, with Swift extending her streak of box office dominance.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Johnson saw a more modest showing. His A24 drama \u201cThe Smashing Machine,\u201d<\/a> co-starring Emily Blunt,<\/a> opened in third place with a mere $6 million, trailing Paul Thomas Anderson\u2019s \u201cOne Battle After Another,\u201d<\/a> which earned $11.1 million and has now accumulated $107 million globally. <\/p>\n Despite strong reviews and a 15-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival<\/a> — where Johnson drew praise for portraying MMA legend Mark Kerr<\/a> \u2014 the film marked one of the lowest openings as a lead. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen major movie stars branch out into more indie roles, like Tom Cruise in \u201dMagnolia,” they’re trying to redefine their career,” Dergarabedian said. \u201cThey can straddle both universes, so Dwayne Johnson and all the acclaim he\u2019s getting. That prestige factor. That\u2019s the currency. He knows box office. He studies this and he’s a business person. But also realize that when you go outside of your comfort zone, it puts him in a certain light. … Dwayne Johnson is redefining what he can do.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the two marquee names, the rest of the weekend lineup offered a wide mix ranging from animated adventures to horror sequels and international releases. <\/p>\n DreamWorks Animation\u2019s family adventure \u201cGabby\u2019s Dollhouse: The Movie\u201d<\/a> debuted in fourth place with $5.2 million, expanding the popular Netflix preschool series to the big screen. Warner Bros.\u2019 supernatural thriller \u201cThe Conjuring: Last Rites\u201d<\/a> followed in fifth with $4 million, pulling in $458.2 million globally.<\/p>\n In sixth was \u201cDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba \u2013 Infinity Castle,\u201d<\/a> the latest entry in the hit Japanese anime saga, earning $3.5 million. A re-release of \u201cAvatar: The Way of Water\u201d<\/a> made a splash in seventh with $3.1 million \u2014 a solid return for the 2022 blockbuster ahead of \u201cAvatar: The Fire and Ash\u201d on Dec. 19. <\/p>\n