Blu-ray Sales, March 18-24: The Hobbit Journeys to the Top

Home

Blu-ray Sales, March 18-24: The Hobbit Journeys to the Top

Posted March 28, 2013 02:32 PM by Josh Katz

For the week that ended on March 24th, Warner Bros. and New Line Home Entertainment's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey scored the top position on the Blu-ray and overall package lists. Budgeted at around $200 million, director Peter Jackson's first prequel to his Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings Trilogy has already performed admirably at the box office; to date, it has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. Its solid small-screen debut also augers well for its future - the film had a Blu-ray market share of 56%.

At the number two spot on the overall package media and Blu-ray-only rankings was Universal Studios Home Entertainment's release of Les Misérables. This sweeping musical epic - director Tom Hooper's follow-up to his Best Picture-winning The King's Speech - proved uncommonly successful during its theatrical run. It grossed over $432 million top on of its estimated $61 million budget. While Les Misérables didn't approach The Hobbit in overall sales, even at number two (it sold 33% as many Blu-rays as Peter Jackson's feature and 34% as many total units), its opening in second place was a strong one, and it had a good HD market share of 54%.

Finally, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's Zero Dark Thirty rounded out the top three positions on the Blu-ray and overall package media lists. This critically acclaimed thriller drummed up no small amount of controversy for itself and filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow, though the constant press ultimately proved lucrative; while the film only won one of its four Academy Award nominations, it grossed over $108 million off its modest $40 million budget. Zero Dark Thirty sold 20% as many Blu-rays as The Hobbit - and had a Blu-ray market share of 53% - and 21% as many total units.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 03/24/13:
  1. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
  2. Les Misérables
  3. Zero Dark Thirty
  4. Life of Pi
  5. Rise of the Guardians
  6. Wreck-It Ralph
  7. This Is 40
  8. Peter Pan
  9. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
  10. Skyfall
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 03/24/13 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (56%)
  2. Les Misérables (54%)
  3. Zero Dark Thirty (53%)
  4. Rise of the Guardians (31%)
  5. Wreck-It Ralph (32%)
Top Three Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 03/24/13 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. The Avengers 3D (49%)
  2. Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away 3D (18%)
  3. Monsters, Inc. 3D (16%)
  4. Life of Pi 3D (13%)
  5. Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D (11%)