Blu-ray Sales, Dec. 28-Jan. 3: Star Wars Races to The Top

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Blu-ray Sales, Dec. 28-Jan. 3: Star Wars Races to The Top

Posted January 7, 2016 12:32 PM by Josh Katz

For the week that ended on January 3rd, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment's Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI box set went to the top of the Blu-ray-only and overall package-media sales rankings. This original trilogy package has long been a fixture on the home-media charts, and the recent box-office success of Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (if one doesn't account for inflation, then The Force Awakens is now the highest grossing film in the United States) helps to justify this Blu-ray package's high position this past week. On the Blu-ray-only list, Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI had a Blu-ray market share of 100%. However, on the overall package-media list, the Star Wars box set appeared in fifth place, with Sony's faith-based drama War Room taking first place (there, Star Wars sold 69% as many copies as War Room).

Unsurprisingly, given all of the Star Wars mania that's sweeping the country, another Force-related product took second place on the Blu-ray-only media chart: Fox's Star Wars: Episodes I-III collection. Even with the relative critical drubbing George Lucas' prequel trilogy has faced in recent years, the renewed interest in the entire franchise has certainly bolstered this package's sales. On the Blu-ray-only list, Star Wars: Episodes I-III had a Blu-ray market share of 100% and sold 64% as many Blu-rays as the original Star Wars trilogy. On the overall package-media list, the prequel trilogy came in eighth place and sold 44% as many total units as War Room.

Finally, Universal Studios Home Entertainment's Minions rounded out the top three spots on the Blu-ray-only and overall package-media sales rankings. A spinoff starring the sidekicks from the popular Despicable Me series, Minions was a runaway hit this past summer. This animated comedy garnered so-so critical notices (the film has a 56% score on Metacritic), but it grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide on top of its estimated $74-million production budget. Regarding the Blu-ray-only ranking, Minions sold 51% as many discs as Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI (and had an HD market share of 48%). In terms of the overall package-media list, the film sold 75% as many total units as War Room.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 01/03/15:
  1. Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI
  2. Star Wars: Episodes I-III
  3. Minions
  4. Hitman: Agent 47
  5. Star Wars: The Complete Saga
  6. Ant-Man
  7. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
  8. War Room
  9. Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
  10. The Perfect Guy
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 01/03/15 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. War Room (21%)
  2. The Perfect Guy (23%)
  3. Minions (48%)
  4. Hitman: Agent 47 (42%)
  5. Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI (100%)
Top Five Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 01/03/15 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. Ant-Man 3D (21%)
  2. Avengers: Age of Ultron 3D (18%)
  3. San Andreas 3D (11%)
  4. Insurgent 3D (9%)
  5. Terminator: Genisys 3D (6%)