'Harry Potter' Can't Catch Rentals Record, But Could Win Video Quidditch Match in Sales
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone proved powerful in its first week of VHS and DVD rentals, but couldn't top the muggles of Ocean's Eleven , according to VSDA VidTrac data issued on Tuesday.
Released on May 28, Warner Bros.' British boy wizard conjured up $12.75 million in combined VHS and DVD rentals revenue in its first week as consumers rented it 3.81 million times. VHS accounted for $7.41 million of the total, while DVD made up $5.34 million.
However, the debut was not enough to top WB stable mate Ocean's Eleven's $15.65 million as the biggest first week of the year, let alone break any records. Bowing on May 7, the all-star rat pack remake was rented 4.55 million times out of the gate, and posted a new all time DVD rental record—$7.28 million.
When it opened in theaters on Nov. 16 last year, Potter set a new weekend record with its $90,294,621 bow en route to $317,575,550. Ocean's Eleven lifted $183,417,150 by the end of its run.
By comparison, another family favorite Shrek also posted initial rentals numbers seemingly not commensurate with its box office gross. It nabbed $8.59 million in its first outing on rental shelves, though since it was released on a Friday that was a three-day tally. DVDs and videos normally hit stores on Tuesdays, and hence their first weeks are really six-day periods as weeks are tracked Monday to Sunday.
While Shrek was not delivering stratospheric rentals numbers, though, it was shattering sales records, which bodes well for Harry Potter's overall home video performance. Shrek stands as the top selling DVD of all time with 9 million copies moved since its Nov. 2, 2001 release. DreamWorks' ornery green ogre has also sold an additional 15 million VHS tapes for a combined revenue total of $460 million, according to the studio. The overall home video sales crown, though, still belongs to The Lion King, which moved 32 million units in its limited VHS run in the pre-DVD mid-'90s.
In other words, people are likely buying Harry Potter instead of renting it, and chances are still high that when the final numbers come in it will have toppled Pearl Harbor's 3.7 million first week DVD sales record. Warner Home Video, though, has not released any sales figures yet due to investor relations concerns from the top brass of AOL Time Warner.
Retailers have made buying Potter instead of renting it as attractive a proposition as could be expected. A number of mass outlets and grocery and drug store chains have been deeply discounting the title, some going as low as $12. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $26.99.
Potter has already cast a sales spell overseas. In its country of origin, the United Kingdom, it sunk Titanic's 1.1 million record (a VHS-only release) by moving 1.25 million VHS and DVD units out of the gate. In Japan, it sold over 1 million DVDs in just 14 days since its May 15 release to become the all time DVD champ there, Warner Bros. reported.
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Released on May 28, Warner Bros.' British boy wizard conjured up $12.75 million in combined VHS and DVD rentals revenue in its first week as consumers rented it 3.81 million times. VHS accounted for $7.41 million of the total, while DVD made up $5.34 million.
However, the debut was not enough to top WB stable mate Ocean's Eleven's $15.65 million as the biggest first week of the year, let alone break any records. Bowing on May 7, the all-star rat pack remake was rented 4.55 million times out of the gate, and posted a new all time DVD rental record—$7.28 million.
When it opened in theaters on Nov. 16 last year, Potter set a new weekend record with its $90,294,621 bow en route to $317,575,550. Ocean's Eleven lifted $183,417,150 by the end of its run.
By comparison, another family favorite Shrek also posted initial rentals numbers seemingly not commensurate with its box office gross. It nabbed $8.59 million in its first outing on rental shelves, though since it was released on a Friday that was a three-day tally. DVDs and videos normally hit stores on Tuesdays, and hence their first weeks are really six-day periods as weeks are tracked Monday to Sunday.
While Shrek was not delivering stratospheric rentals numbers, though, it was shattering sales records, which bodes well for Harry Potter's overall home video performance. Shrek stands as the top selling DVD of all time with 9 million copies moved since its Nov. 2, 2001 release. DreamWorks' ornery green ogre has also sold an additional 15 million VHS tapes for a combined revenue total of $460 million, according to the studio. The overall home video sales crown, though, still belongs to The Lion King, which moved 32 million units in its limited VHS run in the pre-DVD mid-'90s.
In other words, people are likely buying Harry Potter instead of renting it, and chances are still high that when the final numbers come in it will have toppled Pearl Harbor's 3.7 million first week DVD sales record. Warner Home Video, though, has not released any sales figures yet due to investor relations concerns from the top brass of AOL Time Warner.
Retailers have made buying Potter instead of renting it as attractive a proposition as could be expected. A number of mass outlets and grocery and drug store chains have been deeply discounting the title, some going as low as $12. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $26.99.
Potter has already cast a sales spell overseas. In its country of origin, the United Kingdom, it sunk Titanic's 1.1 million record (a VHS-only release) by moving 1.25 million VHS and DVD units out of the gate. In Japan, it sold over 1 million DVDs in just 14 days since its May 15 release to become the all time DVD champ there, Warner Bros. reported.
click here for the
DVD RENTALS CHART
click here for the
VIDEO RENTALS CHART
