The October box office begins caught between The Rock and a fan base. Taylor Swift ‘s “The Official Release Party of a Show Girl” will win the weekend after earning $15.8 million on Friday from 3,702 locations. Meanwhile, the Dwayne Johnson drama “ The Smashing Machine ” is looking weary, pacing on the low-side of its projections for a third place debut.

It’s been nearly two years since Swift ruled the box office with her concert doc “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which reached new heights with a $96 million opening weekend — the second-highest ever for an October release. “The Official Release Party of a Show Girl” won’t be the same blockbuster force, but it’s a more unique event. The release, handled by AMC Theatres Distribution, was only announced two weeks ago, with little promoti

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