Top-Selling DVDs: 2004 Midyear Report

Post by **Luke** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 11:56 am

Courtesy of VideoBusiness.com. Sorry for the excess space; can't figure out how to get rid of it.

Disney titles in bold.

OVERALL TOP SELLING DVDs
<table border=1 width=465><tr><td>Rank</td><td>Title (Label/Distributor)</td><td>Release</td><td>Units</td><td>Revenue ($ in mils.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>LOTR: Return of the King (New Line/Warner)</td><td>5-25</td><td>10.7</td><td>185.8</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>The Lion King 1½ (Buena Vista)</td><td>2-10</td><td>7.5</td><td>139.8</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>Brother Bear (Buena Vista)</td><td>3-30</td><td>7.5</td><td>137.7</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>The Matrix Revolutions (Warner)</td><td>4-6</td><td>6.3</td><td>114.7</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>American Wedding (Universal)</td><td>1-2</td><td>5.8</td><td>110.9</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>Cheaper By the Dozen (Fox)</td><td>4-6</td><td>5.5</td><td>95.7</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>The Last Samurai (Warner)</td><td>5-4</td><td>4.8</td><td>88.6</td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>S.W.A.T. (Columbia)</td><td>12-30-03</td><td>4.9</td><td>87.6</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>The Cat in the Hat (Universal)</td><td>3-16</td><td>4.8</td><td>84.9</td></tr>
<tr><td>10</td><td>Open Range (Buena Vista)</td><td>1-20</td><td>4.2</td><td>82.2</td></tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>The Haunted Mansion (Buena Vista)</td><td>4-20</td><td>4.1</td><td>80.9</td></tr>
<tr><td>12</td><td>Master and Commander (Fox)</td><td>4-20</td><td>4.2</td><td>81.1</td></tr>
<tr><td>13</td><td>Spy Kids 3-D (Miramax/Buena Vista)</td><td>2-24</td><td>3.9</td><td>72.6</td></tr>
<tr><td>14</td><td>Something’s Gotta Give (Columbia)</td><td>3-30</td><td>3.7</td><td>71.2</td></tr>
<tr><td>15</td><td>Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (Miramax/Buena Vista)</td><td>4-13</td><td>3.9</td><td>68.7</td></tr>
</table>

TOP SELLING NON-NEW RELEASES

<table border=1 width=465>

<tr><td>Rank</td><td>Title (Label/Distributor)</td><td>Release</td><td>Revenue ($ in mils.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>1</td><td>Finding Nemo (Buena Vista)</td><td>11-4-03</td><td>25.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>Band of Brothers (HBO/Warner)</td><td>11-5-02</td><td>24.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>LOTR: Fellowship Ex. Ed. (New Line/Warner)</td><td>11-12-02</td><td>21.7</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>Family Guy: Seasons 1 & 2 (Fox)</td><td>4-15-03</td><td>21.1</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>Indiana Jones Collection (Paramount)</td><td>10-21-03</td><td>19.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>Scarface Ann. Ed. (Universal)</td><td>9-30-03</td><td>16.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>Family Guy: Season 3 (Fox)</td><td>9-9-03</td><td>14.2</td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>Pirates of the Caribbean (Buena Vista)</td><td>12-2-03</td><td>14.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>Shrek (DreamWorks/Universal)</td><td>8-19-03</td><td>13.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>10</td><td>Blue Collar Comedy Tour (Warner)</td><td>6-3-03</td><td>12.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>Friends: First Season (Warner)</td><td>4-30-02</td><td>11.9</td></tr>
<tr><td>12</td><td>LOTR: Fellowship (New Line/Warner)</td><td>8-6-02</td><td>11.7</td></tr>
<tr><td>13</td><td>Godfather Collection (Paramount)</td><td>10-9-01</td><td>11.5</td></tr>
<tr><td>14</td><td>Sex and the City: Ep. 1 & 2 (HBO/Warner)</td><td>5-23-00</td><td>11.3</td></tr>
<tr><td>15</td><td>Old School (DreamWorks/Universal)</td><td>6-10-03</td><td>11.1</td></tr>
</table>

TOP SELLING DVD Premiere TITLES (Direct-to-Video)
<table border=1 width=465>

<tr><td>Rank</td><td>Title (Label/Distributor)</td><td>Release</td><td>Revenue ($ in mils.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>1</td><td>Lion King 1½ (Buena Vista)</td><td>2-10</td><td>156.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>Bring It On Again (Universal)</td><td>1-13</td><td>26.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>Blue Collar Comedy Tour (Warner)</td><td>6-3</td><td>23.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>Springtime With Roo (Buena Vista)</td><td>3-9</td><td>16.5</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>Belly of Beast (Columbia)</td><td>12-30-03</td><td>10.1</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>Devil’s Pond (Lions Gate)</td><td>12-16-03</td><td>8.8</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>Starship Troopers 2 (Columbia)</td><td>6-1</td><td>8.5</td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>George of Jungle 2 (Buena Vista)</td><td>10-21-03</td><td>7.2</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>Stitch! The Movie (Buena Vista)</td><td>8-26-03</td><td>7.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>10</td><td>In Hell (DEJ)</td><td>11-25-03</td><td>6.5</td></tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>Quicksand (Lions Gate)</td><td>3-16</td><td>5.8</td></tr>
<tr><td>12</td><td>Leprechaun: Back 2 Hood (Lions Gate)</td><td>12-30-03</td><td>5.6</td></tr>
<tr><td>13</td><td>The Challenge (Warner)</td><td>11-25-03</td><td>5.1</td></tr>
<tr><td>14</td><td>Barbie of Swan Lake (Lions Gate)</td><td>9-30-03</td><td>5.0</td></tr>
<tr><td>15</td><td>Land Before Time: Longneck (Universal)</td><td>12-2-03</td><td>4.8</td></tr>

</table>

SofaKing381222 · Post by **SofaKing381222** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:03 pm

i didnt expect Brother Bear to be #3 i thought that it did not do very well...same with Open Range (you mean someone actually saw that?) As with Family Guy on #4 on the old list I knew it did very well. So well that they are bringing back the series next year

Some of those numbers really suprise me, but then again some dont.....

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:05 pm

Good to see a Leprechaun movie in there. The Leprechaun franchise will never die!

Post by **Luke** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:08 pm

There's an interesting article which accompanies the numbers. Like everything at VideoBusiness.com, you'll have to register to read it, but it's free:

http://www.videobusiness.com/article.as ... tType=NEWS

More than 84% of the record $10.7 billion in home video spending so far this year has been on DVDs.

Among the highs, lows and surprises in the first half:

• Buena Vista's DVD premiere movie The Lion King 1½ is one of the top moneymakers of the year with $156 million, and is by far the most profitable.

• Buena Vista's performance in turning four middling box-office performers in the range of $58 million to $85 million each--Open Range, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Haunted Mansion and Brother Bear--into four $100 million-plus videos, bodes well for the studio's second half line-up of even more lackluster theatricals like The Alamo, Hidalgo, Home on the Range and Around the World in 80 Days.

Joe Carioca · Post by **Joe Carioca** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:23 pm

I am very happy for "Brother Bear"! Go Disney, go!

A pity the list isn't a little longer... I would love to see "Alice In Wonderland: ME" there!

Thanks for posting, Luke!

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:25 pm

I find it interesting that The Lion King isn't in the top selling non-new releases.

DreamerQ18 · Post by **DreamerQ18** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:17 pm

Wow thats really good news . I am so proud of brother Bear I thought it was great movie that just dint get the promotion it really needed so I to was very surprised with the numbers. But believe it or not mostley the Lion King 1 1/2 just becasue most the people I know didnt seem intreastead in it. To a lot it seemed like a mockery of the Orignal Lion King which my friends hold in a very place. So I am proud and thanks Luke for the 411

.

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:24 pm

It seems to prove Disney's research, that people would rather wait the few months and buy the DVD rather than go and see their animated films.

Mr. Toad · Post by **Mr. Toad** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 2:33 pm

I was really shocked by Kill Bill and Master/Commander. Both those have to be considered very disappointing.

Brother Bear was the last movie I saw in theatres, and maybe the last one I ever see. I can wait a few more months for any DVD. I have to pay for three tickets now. The DVD is cheaper and more enjoyable in my own house without sticky floors and people wispering.

Prince Eric · Post by **Prince Eric** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 9:04 pm

Maybe this will affect the release schedule and moratorium rate of the Platinum Editions. As someone states, The Lion King didn't chart in the non-new releases tally, which obviously means any re-released classic doesn't have legs for a profitable second year. If they keep it at three months, then they make the bulk of their profit anyway, and they will have less copies available so the demand will increase for their next re-release. It's either that, or keep producing them for another year, and have tons of retailers stocked with copies that won't sell (or won't sell as fast), and the eventual demand and prestige of the film goes down. Just a thought.

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 11:40 pm

2099net wrote:It seems to prove Disney's research, that people would rather wait the few months and buy the DVD rather than go and see their animated films.

Yes, while I was initially surprised at how well BB did, I guess that is the case. I think if we were to look back at all the DVD sales of all of the supposed Disney "flops", we'd find similar high DVD/Video sales. Good to see. (And of course, it seemed The Cat in the Hat, although non-Disney, proved the theory conclusively - for better or for worse).

And I agree with the Leprechaun assessment - mind you it was only listed at $9.98! My girlfriend and I plan another "bad movie weekend" soon, and Leprechaun is on the top of the list. I think there is a Leprechaun boxset available, but it doesn't have this one (although it does have the predecessor Leprechaun in Da Hood).

AwallaceUNC · Post by **AwallaceUNC** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 11:47 pm

Interesting thought, Prince Eric. It seems to me that Disney could still be quite profitable at releasing 6 or 7 animated classics on DVD a year, instead of the 5 we get now. 7 in a year might seem like a ton, but it also seems like the releases are very spread out. And even the less prestigous releases seem to sell well. Would 1 or 2 more diminish that? Hmm. Thoughts?

-Aaron

DVDizzy Forum

Latest Movie Reviews

🎬 DVDizzy Top Stories️️

Top-Selling DVDs: 2004 Midyear Report

Top-Selling DVDs: 2004 Midyear Report