Blu-ray Sales, Jan. 20-26: Captain Phillips Escapes to the Top Spot

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Blu-ray Sales, Jan. 20-26: Captain Phillips Escapes to the Top Spot

Posted January 31, 2014 08:33 AM by Josh Katz

For the week that ended on January 26th, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's Captain Phillips rose to the top of the Blu-ray-only and overall media rankings. This acclaimed docudrama scored with critics and audiences last fall - grossing over $216 million worldwide and generating a Metacritic grade of 83% - and now it has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor. Last week, Captain Phillips had a Blu-ray market share of 48%.

Next up on the Blu-ray-only sales ranking was Universal Studios' Riddick. The violent sci-fi thriller, a continuation in the adventures of Vin Diesel's charismatic space criminal, did not find the widespread success that Diesel's Fast & Furious 6 did, though it is gaining a cult following. The film scored a Metacritic grade of 49%, and it barely recouped its $38-million production budget in domestic markets; it made $42 million in North America, although its international earnings boosted that total to just over $98 million. On the Blu-ray-only sales list, Riddick sold 27% as many discs as Captain Phillips and had a Blu-ray market share of 43%, and on the overall package media list (where Riddick dropped to fourth place), it sold 29% as many units as the Tom Hanks-starring thriller.

Finally, Starz/Anchor Bay's The Butler rounded out the top three spots on the Blu-ray-only media chart. The Butler - the latest film from Precious and The Paperboy director Lee Daniels - became a surprise hit this summer; Daniels and the Weinstein Company turned the picture's social message and star-studded cast into a $167-million worldwide box-office success on top of its $30-million production budget. The Butler sold 19% as many Blu-rays as Captain Phillips and had a 22% HD market share. Regarding the overall package-media sales figures, The Butler actually came in second place and sold 42% as many total units as Captain Phillips.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 01/26/14:
  1. Captain Phillips
  2. Riddick
  3. The Butler
  4. Machete Kills
  5. Despicable Me 2
  6. Instructions Not Included
  7. Carrie
  8. RoboCop
  9. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
  10. Fast & Furious 6
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 01/26/14 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. Captain Phillips (48%)
  2. The Butler (22%)
  3. Instructions Not Included (18%)
  4. Riddick (43%)
  5. Despicable Me 2 (38%)
Top Five Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 01/26/14 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. Prometheus 3D (14%)
  2. The Wolverine 3D (9%)
  3. Star Trek Into Darkness 3D (8%)
  4. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters 3D (8%)
  5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 3D (7%)