Blu-ray Sales, September 10-16: Snow White Has the Fairest Blu-ray Figures

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Blu-ray Sales, September 10-16: Snow White Has the Fairest Blu-ray Figures

Posted September 20, 2012 10:51 AM by Josh Katz

For the week ending on September 16th, Universal Studios' Snow White and the Huntsman held the highest Blu-ray and overall home media sales figures. Director Rupert Sanders' dark fantasy amassed a worldwide box-office gross of over $396 million after it premiered last June, but the behind-the-scenes travails surrounding the film - including the revelation that Sanders and leading lady Kristen Stewart began an affair on the set - have recently eclipsed its theatrical fortunes. Whether this controversy added to viewer interest last week is debatable, though its number one position is reassuring for the studio, regardless of the motivations behind sales. Particularly noteworthy were its HD totals; Snow White and the Huntsman enjoyed a healthy Blu-ray market share of 55%.

Snow White's number-one standing is particularly impressive considering its Blu-ray debut beat the much-anticipated HD release of James Cameron's Titanic. At number two on the Blu-ray chart, Titanic's had a higher HD market share than Snow White and the Huntsman - 82% - but sold far fewer copies; the titles moved 38% as many Blu-rays and 26% as many total units as Snow White. Still, given the enduring popularity of the epic blockbuster - to date, it has grossed over $2 billion worldwide - one can expect that the Blu-ray will continue to perform well on home media for distributor Paramount Pictures.

Finally, third place on the HD ranking went to a title far removed from either Snow White and the Huntsman or Titanic: Warner Home Entertainment's The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season. This television sitcom has been one of CBS' most watched programs since its premiere in 2007, and its fans have long called for Blu-ray season sets. That particular desire would certainly explain the series' third place Blu-ray position, where it sold 10% as many units as Snow White, but The Big Bang Theory's overall appeal extends far past just Blu-rays. On the overall home media front, the sitcom outperformed Titanic, coming in at second place and selling 28% as many total units as Snow White.

Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week Ending 09/16/12:
  1. Snow White and the Huntsman
  2. Titanic
  3. The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season
  4. Spartacus: Vengeance
  5. The Hunger Games
  6. Battleship
  7. What to Expect When You're Expecting
  8. Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
  9. Safe
  10. The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Third Season
Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week Ending 09/16/12 (% of Blu-ray's Market Share Noted):
  1. Snow White and the Huntsman (55%)
  2. The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season (20%)
  3. Titanic (82%)
  4. Barbie: The Princess & The Popstar (DTV only)
  5. The Hunger Games (35%)
Top Three Blu-ray 3D Sellers for Week Ending 09/16/12 (Per % of Total Unit Sales):
  1. Titanic 3D (37%)
  2. The Pirates! Band of Misfits in 3D (11%)
  3. Dr. Seuss' The Lorax 3D (6%)