Blu-ray Sales, Feb. 8-14: Spectre Moves Stealthily to Top

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Blu-ray Sales, Feb. 8-14: Spectre Moves Stealthily to Top

Posted February 19, 2016 09:58 AM by Josh Katz

For the week that ended on February 14th, Sony and MGM Home Entertainment's Spectre went to the top of the Blu-ray-only and overall package-media sales lists. The most recent James Bond thriller - and the third collaboration between star Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes - Spectre struggled to live up to the expectations that its predecessor Skyfall created. While the film was a solid commercial performer for its studios, grossing over $879 million worldwide on an estimated $245 million budget, it didn't connect as strongly with critics, who responded to the tune of a 60% Metacritic score. This week, Spectre had a Blu-ray market share of 63%.

Next on the Blu-ray-only chart was Walt Disney Home Entertainment's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. A perennial favorite since its release, this animated adventure received a new "Signature Edition" on North American Blu-ray platforms. In 1937, Walt Disney and his team of animators were entering largely uncharted terrain. While other countries had produced full-length animated features, in America animators were crafting far shorter pictures, and given the movie's then-exorbitant production costs (about $1.5 million), a commercial failure could have bankrupted Disney. However, Disney cemented his legacy, and Snow White became, even when adjusted for inflation, one of the top ten highest-grossing films of all time. On the Blu-ray-only list, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had a Blu-ray market share of 100% and sold 20% as many Blu-rays as Spectre. However, regarding the overall package-media list, the Disney classic came in sixth place and sold 12% as many total units as Spectre.

Finally, Lionsgate and Summit Home Entertainment's The Last Witch Hunter rounded out the top three positions on the Blu-ray-only and overall package-media charts. Star/producer Vin Diesel's fantasy actioner struggled to connect with both audiences and critics following its October release. In addition to its poor critical notices (the film scored a 34% Metacritic ranking), The Last Witch Hunter went on to gross only $27 million domestically, a figure well below its estimated $90-million production budget (that said, the picture performed much stronger overseas, earning an additional $113 million). On the Blu-ray-only list, The Last Witch Hunter had a Blu-ray market share of 41% and sold 11% as many Blu-rays as Spectre while on the overall package-media list, the horror-themed actioner came in second place and sold 17% as many total units as the newest James Bond entry.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 02/14/15:
  1. Spectre
  2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  3. The Last Witch Hunter
  4. The Martian
  5. Crimson Peak
  6. Straight Outta Compton
  7. Goosebumps
  8. Hotel Transylvania 2
  9. Bridge of Spies
  10. Minions
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 02/14/15 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. Spectre (63%)
  2. The Last Witch Hunter (41%)
  3. Goosebumps (39%)
  4. Straight Outta Compton (41%)
  5. The Martian (56%)
Top Five Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 02/14/15 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. Avengers: Age of Ultron 3D (15%)
  2. Ant-Man 3D (14%)
  3. The Martian 3D (7%)
  4. Everest 3D (7%)
  5. Goosebumps 3D (5%)