Blu-ray Sales: Hero is Bigger than Big
March 15, 2015
While Big Hero 6 wasn't the only new release on the Blu-ray sales chart this week, it might as well have been. Not only did it crush the competition for the week, it is already the best selling Blu-ray of 2015 by a massive margin. It sold 1.99 million units generating $37.59 million in the process. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 67%, which is stunning. This would be stunning for a visually intensive action film aimed at Fanboys. For a family film, it is hard to comprehend.
Game of Thrones: Season Four was way back in second place with 58,000 units / $2.03 million for the week and 344,000 units / $12.01 million after two. Whiplash opened in third place with 52,000 units / $933,000. Limited releases and dramas tend to have lower opening week per theater averages than wide releases or action films. However, 60% of this film's units were sold on Blu-ray. Birdman remained in fourth place with 46,000 units / $827,000 for the week and 180,000 units / $3.48 million after two. This isn't bad for a limited release, but the film is so good that I really wanted it to perform better. Rounding out the top five was Horrible Bosses 2 with 43,000 units / $985,000. Its opening week Blu-ray share was just 20%, which is terrible, even for a character driven comedy.
The best of the rest of the new releases was Sons of Anarchy: The Final Season, which opened in eighth place with 33,000 units / $1.03 million. Its opening week Blu-ray share was just 21%; that's fine for a TV on DVD release, but nothing special. Beyond the Lights only managed 16th place with 14,000 units / $283,000. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 22%, which is inline with expectations, but the overall sales were disappointing. The final new release to chart was Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse, which landed in 18th place with 11,000 units / $232,000. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 30%, which is good for a direct-to-DVD release.
Filed under: Video Sales, Big Hero 6, Horrible Bosses 2, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Whiplash, Beyond the Lights, Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerers Curse