Blu-ray Sales: March 13-19: West Side Story Gets Resurrected

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Blu-ray Sales: March 13-19: West Side Story Gets Resurrected

Posted March 25, 2022 02:07 PM by Sean Greenwood

For the week that ended on March 19th, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's The Matrix Resurrections again topped the Blu-ray-only chart. Arriving almost 20 years after the previous film in the Matrix franchise, The Matrix Resurrections experienced bad luck when, after starting production in February 2020, the coronavirus pandemic struck and halted filming for six months. eventually, the film was completed and released in late December 2021, becoming the last film on Warner Bros. 2021 slate and thus, the last film to receive a simultaneous release on the studio's HBO Max streaming service. Despite a theatrical marketplace that had picked up with Sony Pictures' release of Spider-Man: No Way Home the previous week, The Matrix Resurrections underperformed at the box office, debuting in third place with just over $10 million on its opening weekend, and eventually grossing over $37 million domestically and over $156 million globally, against a budget of $190 million. This week, The Matrix Resurrections had an HD share of 67% and 23% of units sold from the 4K UHD format.

Debuting in second place on the Blu-ray chart is Walt Disney Home Entertainment's West Side Story (2021). In development since 2014, Spielberg's adaptation of the 1957 stage musical, which was previously adapted into a film in 1961, opened in November 2021 to disappointing box office returns, with just over $38 million domestically and over $75 million worldwide. However, like its predecessor, the musical has received both critical praise and numerous accolades, and is a major contender at the upcoming Academy Awards, where it has received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. This week, West Side Story (2021) sold 57% as many Blu-ray units as The Matrix Resurrections, with an HD share of 67% and 40% of units sold from the 4K UHD format.

Remaining in third place on both charts is Walt Disney Home Entertainment's Encanto. The 60th film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Encanto was released over the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, grossing over $40 million over the five-day holiday weekend, on its way to just over $95 million domestically. While its numbers would ordinarily be disappointing, the box office for Encanto actually made it the highest-grossing animated film of 2021 at the time. Internationally, things were even better, with over $155 million, for a global total of over $251 million so far. The film has also received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Animated, in addition to an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. This week, Encanto sold 50% as many Blu-ray units as The Matrix Resurrections, with an HD share of 46% and 7% of units sold from the 4K UHD format.

Elsewhere on the charts, Arrow Video's re-release of An American Werewolf in London, which saw the film issued on 4K UHD for the first time, came in at No. 11 on the Blu-ray chart and easily topped the UHD market share chart, with 94% of units sold from the 4K UHD format. Lionsgate Home Entertainment's Red Rocket and Dream a Little Dream came in at Nos. 14 and 15, respectively, while No. 16 went to Shout Factory's Collector's Edition 4K UHD release of The Sword and the Sorcerer.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 3/19/22:
  1. The Matrix Resurrections
  2. West Side Story (2021)
  3. Encanto
  4. Yellowstone: Season 4
  5. Eternals
  6. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
  7. Dune (2021)
  8. The King's Man
  9. American Underdog
  10. No Time to Die
  11. An American Werewolf in London
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 3/19/22 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. Yellowstone: Season 4 (20%)
  2. The Matrix Resurrections (60%)
  3. Encanto (47%)
  4. West Side Story (2021) (67%)
  5. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (54%)
Top Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 3/19/22 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. Dune 3D (2021) (1.54%)
  2. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D (0.47%)
  3. Top Gun 3D (0.11%)
  4. Sing 3D (0.06%)
Top Five UHD Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 3/19/22 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. An American Werewolf in London 4K (94%)
  2. West Side Story 4K (2021) (40%)
  3. Dune 4K (2021) (25%)
  4. Eternals 4K (23%)
  5. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 4K (17%)