Surprise songs and what Swifties should expect from Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film

EW has seen the new movie — we break down what made the cut, what didn’t, and more.

Swifties, are you ready for it?

By “it,” of course we mean the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film that’s taking over the box office starting this weekend. While Swift loves her Easter eggs and mysteries, there’s a surprising amount we do know about the film heading into release weekend.

For instance, the movie, which was filmed across the first three nights of her six-night stop in Los Angeles in August, includes almost all the songs from the Eras Tour setlist as it appeared at that point in time — below, we’ll dive into which songs didn’t make the final cut like Taylor dove into the trap door of that stage every night.

The film — directed by Sam Wrench, who has worked with everyone from BTS to Lizzo to Billie Eilish, and even American Idol — is a massive box-office success before it even hit theaters. As of press time, the film has already earned more than $100 million in advance global ticket sales, surpassing the entire run of 2011’s Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which previously held the record for highest-grossing concert film with $99 million. Demand is so high, in fact, that prior to Wednesday night’s movie premiere, Swift announced that Thursday night showings have been added.

However, beyond that, Swift has remained cryptic and Machiavellian about some key points. For instance, each of the three nights the concert was filmed, she performed two different surprise songs during the acoustic set, meaning there are six different possibilities for the film in that section of the show. Fans have speculated for weeks about which two will appear in it, or if Swift will do a shortened medley of all of them, or something else entirely. Plus, will the Eras Tour film contain bloopers or behind-the-scenes content like the Reputation tour film did? Or perhaps an announcement of some kind at the end?

EW was enchanted to attend the world premiere of the Eras Tour concert film Wednesday night, where we swapped friendship bracelets and got to shake it off sitting just rows away from Swift as she danced along to the concert. Here’s what we learned.

Taylor Swift on stage during the Eras Tour. JEFF KRAVITZ/GETTY IMAGES

What surprise songs are featured in Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film?

As mentioned above, Swift performed six different songs during the acoustic “surprise song” section of the setlist while the movie was being filmed. Those six songs are: “I Can See You,” “Maroon,” “Our Song,” “You Are in Love,” “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” and “You’re on Your Own, Kid.” Ultimately, just two are in the film: “Our Song” (on guitar) and “You’re on Your Own, Kid” (on piano).

Why is the film shorter than the concert? Was anything cut?

Though the massive, career-spanning tour setlist clocks in at over three hours and 15 minutes, the film is only listed at around two hours and 45 minutes. As expected, outfit changes and transitions were shortened. And five songs that she performed at the L.A. shows didn’t make the final cut: “No Body, No Crime” with Haim; “Long Live” in the Speak Now era; “Wildest Dreams” from 1989; “The Archer” from Lover; and Folklore’s “Cardigan.”

Is there a blooper reel or any behind-the-scenes content?

While the L.A. performance of “Long Live” wasn’t included, the credits rolled over a recording of the song as we see footage of fans and bloopers from the tour — like Swift’s hand getting caught on her dress, and when her dress flew over her head as she twirled.

What is new in the concert film?

The joy you feel watching it over and over again.