Blu-ray Sales, April 1-7: The Bible Ascends to the Top

Home

Blu-ray Sales, April 1-7: The Bible Ascends to the Top

Posted April 10, 2013 11:06 PM by Josh Katz

For the week that ended on April 7th, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment's The Bible scored the top figures on both the overall package media and Blu-ray sales rankings. This epic miniseries drummed up no small amount of controversy when it aired last month, but it also drew strong ratings for the History Channel, and its success has continued onto the home media market; with over 525,000 units purchased during its first week, The Bible became the fastest-selling television release on Blu-ray and DVD. For its second small-screen debut, the film garnered a 27% Blu-ray market share.

Moving down to the number two spot on the overall package media and Blu-ray-only rankings was Disney and Touchstone Home Entertainment's Lincoln. Director Steven Spielberg's Academy Award-winning drama about U.S. President Abraham Lincoln garnered both critical and commercial accolades last year; it won Oscars won for star Daniel Day-Lewis and for production designers Rick Carter and Jim Erickson, and it grossed over $263 million worldwide. Lincoln only trailed behind The Bible by a slight margin last week; the film sold 91% as many Blu-rays as the miniseries and 68% as many total units, and it had an HD market share of 36%.

Finally, Warner Bros. and New Line Home Entertainment's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey remained at number three on the Blu-ray and overall package lists. Director Peter Jackson's prequel to his Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings Trilogy has made more than $1 billion worldwide and has remained a constant fixture on the home media market charts. The Hobbit sold 90% as many Blu-rays as The Bible - and had a Blu-ray market share of 43% - and 56% as many total units.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 04/07/13:
  1. The Bible: The Epic Miniseries
  2. Lincoln
  3. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
  4. Les Misérables
  5. Life of Pi
  6. Wreck-It Ralph
  7. Rise of the Guardians
  8. Zero Dark Thirty
  9. Parental Guidance
  10. This Is 40
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 04/07/13 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. The Bible: The Epic Miniseries (27%)
  2. Lincoln (36%)
  3. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (43%)
  4. Les Misérables (42%)
  5. Parental Guidance (24%)
Top Three Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 04/07/13 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. Life of Pi 3D (13%)
  2. Hotel Transylvania 3D (10%)
  3. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 3D (7%)
  4. Wreck-It Ralph 3D (7%)
  5. Despicable Me 3D (6%)