Blu-ray Sales, Mar. 10-16: Catching Fire Remains at the Top

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Blu-ray Sales, Mar. 10-16: Catching Fire Remains at the Top

Posted March 20, 2014 09:46 AM by Josh Katz

For the week that ended on March 16th, Lionsgate Home Entertainment's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire remained at the top spot on the Blu-ray-only and overall package media charts. The second in the Hunger Games film franchise, Catching Fire proved a blockbuster success for the studio last year. Alongside solid critical notices (on Metacritic, the film has a 75% score), Catching Fire grossed $864 million worldwide on top of its estimated $130 million production budget. And it's already setting records on the small screen; as Blu-ray.com reported last week, the title sold 3.9 million discs in its first three days of home-media release. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire had a Blu-ray market share of 48%.

Next up on the Blu-ray-only sales ranking was Disney and Marvel Studios' Thor: The Dark World . The sequel to the 2011 blockbuster that made stars of both Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, Thor: The Dark World netted a large profit when it premiered theatrically last November. It grossed $206 million domestically on top of its estimated $170-million production budget, and the additional $435 million it made in international markets solidified Thor as a viable franchise for its parent studios. Thor sold 14% as many Blu-rays as Catching Fire and had a higher HD market share of 62%. On the overall package media list, Thor came in seventh place - with the Jason Statham-James Franco actioner Homefront taking second place - and sold 11% as many total units as Catching Fire.

Finally, Warner Home Entertainment's Gravity rounded out the top three spots on the Blu-ray-only media chart. The critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller - it has a strong Metacritic score of 96% - grossed over $707 million worldwide. Furthermore, at the last Oscar ceremony, it won seven Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects and Best Director. On the Blu-ray-only list, Gravity sold 14% as many discs as Catching Fire and had a Blu-ray market share of 46%. Regarding the overall package media chart, the film actually came in fourth place behind Homefront and director Steve McQueen's recent Best Picture-winner 12 Years a Slave. There, Gravity sold 15% as many total units as Catching Fire.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 03/16/14:
  1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
  2. Thor: The Dark World
  3. Gravity
  4. Homefront
  5. 12 Years a Slave
  6. The Book Thief
  7. The Hunger Games / Catching Fire (Wal-Mart Exclusive)
  8. Out of the Furnace
  9. Despicable Me 2
  10. Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 03/16/14 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (48%)
  2. Homefront (40%)
  3. 12 Years a Slave (30%)
  4. Gravity (46%)
  5. Barbie: The Pearl Princess (12%)
Top Five Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 03/16/14 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. Thor: The Dark World 3D (33%)
  2. Gravity 3D (11%)
  3. Man of Steel 3D (9%)
  4. Pacific Rim 3D (6%)
  5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 3D (5%)