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'American Gangster' HD DVD Tops VideoScan's Weekly High-Def Disc Sales Chart

Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 04:00 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Universal (all tags)

Blu-ray may have officially won the high-def format war last week, but in a strange twist, the top selling high-def disc of the week was an HD DVD release.

Yes, you read right. Universal's 'American Gangster' -- released on the same day that Toshiba announced it would drop HD DVD support -- topped Neilsen VideoScan's First Alert high-def disc charts for the week ending February 24, 2008, outselling the top Blu-ray release ('Michael Clayton') by nearly 2:1.

Of course, the remaining nine titles on VideoScan's high-def best sellers chart were all Blu-ray titles, giving the format yet another weekly win in overall sales, with Blu-ray commanding 77% of all high-def disc sales for the week. (Thanks to Robert for the correction!)

A complete list of VideoScan's top ten high-def best sellers for the week follows below: (click linked titles to read our reviews)

1. American Gangster (HD DVD); INDEX: 100
2. Michael Clayton (Blu-ray); INDEX: 62.24
3. The Rock (Blu-ray); INDEX: 27.26
4. Cars (Blu-ray); INDEX: 26.18
5. We Own the Night (Blu-ray); INDEX: 24.29
6. Planet Earth (Blu-ray); INDEX: 22.69
7. Con Air (Blu-ray); INDEX: 21.37
8. Gone Baby Gone (Blu-ray); INDEX: 19.89
9. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Blu-ray); INDEX: 19.26
10. Crimson Tide (Blu-ray); INDEX: 18.28

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
American Gangster Tops Hidef Media Chart Week Ending Feb 24 [Format War Central]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Toshba Officially Drops HD DVD (Feb 19, 2008)

Controversy Swirls Around 'Transformers' HD DVD Sales Numbers

Mon Oct 29, 2007 at 01:37 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Paramount (all tags)

Is Paramount's HD DVD release of 'The Transformers' in fact the fastest selling next-gen title ever? It depends on who you believe.

As we've previously reported, Paramount sent out a press release last Monday boasting of record-breaking sales for 'Transformers' on HD DVD. The studio estimated 100,000 units sold the first day, and 190,000 for the first week, making the disc the fastest selling title on either next-gen format.

Since then, sales estimates for the title have come in from two different sales tracking services that would seem contradict Paramount's numbers.

As we first reported on Friday, Home Media Magazine estimates the actual number of units sold through to consumers for the week as closer to 115,000. Meanwhile, according to an online report from Deadline Hollywood, Videoscan point-of-sale data is said to put the disc at only 89,871 units sold.

So, which number is correct? Speaking with Deadline Hollywood, one unnamed Paramount executive suggested it may be all three, attributing the discrepencies between the numbers to units sold by "nontraditional" retailers.

"What they're saying to you is factually correct that the top 3 accounts sold 74,000 units. No disputing that," explained the exec. "The mistake they're making is they're underestimating the units sold by nontraditional retailers like Amazon.com, Netflix, and Blockbuster Online."

In the same report, another unnamed exec (this time from a Blu-ray supporting studio) called Paramount's assertion of Amazon, Netflix and Blockbuster Online being underestimated "patently untrue," stating that "both Amazon and Blockbuster are included in the Nielsen reporting -- and they know it. If those 3 outlets accounted for even 30K copies, it would be record-setting for them, yet Par would still be significantly off the 190,000 number."

For its part, Paramount continues to stand by its original numbers, telling Deadline Hollywood that they checked and double-checked their figures before issuing last week's press release, and that "everything we said is 100% accurate."

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Blu-ray/HD DVD: Which Hollywood Studio Is Accused Of 'Big Ass, Fat, Stupid Lie'? [Deadline Hollywood]
Transformers Becomes This Year’s Top-Selling DVD and the Best-Selling High Definition Title Day One and Week One for Either Format [Press Release]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Transformers (2007) (HD DVD)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Disc Sales: Blu-ray Squeaks Weekly Win Against 'Transformers' HD DVD

Controversy Swirls Around 'Transformers' HD DVD Sales Numbers

Mon Oct 29, 2007 at 01:37 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Paramount (all tags)

Is Paramount's HD DVD release of 'The Transformers' in fact the fastest selling next-gen title ever? It depends on who you believe.

As we've previously reported, Paramount sent out a press release last Monday boasting of record-breaking sales for 'Transformers' on HD DVD. The studio estimated 100,000 units sold the first day, and 190,000 for the first week, making the disc the fastest selling title on either next-gen format.

Since then, sales estimates for the title have come in from two different sales tracking services that would seem contradict Paramount's numbers.

As we first reported on Friday, Home Media Magazine estimates the actual number of units sold through to consumers for the week as closer to 115,000. Meanwhile, according to an online report from Deadline Hollywood, Videoscan point-of-sale data is said to put the disc at only 89,871 units sold.

So, which number is correct? Speaking with Deadline Hollywood, one unnamed Paramount executive suggested it may be all three, attributing the discrepencies between the numbers to units sold by "nontraditional" retailers.

"What they're saying to you is factually correct that the top 3 accounts sold 74,000 units. No disputing that," explained the exec. "The mistake they're making is they're underestimating the units sold by nontraditional retailers like Amazon.com, Netflix, and Blockbuster Online."

In the same report, another unnamed exec (this time from a Blu-ray supporting studio) called Paramount's assertion of Amazon, Netflix and Blockbuster Online being underestimated "patently untrue," stating that "both Amazon and Blockbuster are included in the Nielsen reporting -- and they know it. If those 3 outlets accounted for even 30K copies, it would be record-setting for them, yet Par would still be significantly off the 190,000 number."

For its part, Paramount continues to stand by its original numbers, telling Deadline Hollywood that they checked and double-checked their figures before issuing last week's press release, and that "everything we said is 100% accurate."

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Blu-ray/HD DVD: Which Hollywood Studio Is Accused Of 'Big Ass, Fat, Stupid Lie'? [Deadline Hollywood]
Transformers Becomes This Year’s Top-Selling DVD and the Best-Selling High Definition Title Day One and Week One for Either Format [Press Release]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Transformers (2007) (HD DVD)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Disc Sales: Blu-ray Squeaks Weekly Win Against 'Transformers' HD DVD

Blu-ray Disc Sales Lead HD DVD by Nearly 2:1 YTD; Q4 Crucial For HD DVD

Wed Oct 24, 2007 at 01:35 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Industry Forecasts (all tags)

Blu-ray disc sales exceeded those of HD DVD by a wide margin for the third quarter in a row, setting the stage for a crucial Q4 sales showdown.

According to recently released numbers from Home Media Research, sales of Blu-ray discs totaled 2.6 million units from January 1 through Sept 30, versus 1.4 million HD DVD discs sold over the same period. That's a 1.85:1 sales lead for Blu-ray for the first nine months of this year.

A month into the fourth quarter, however, there are some encouraging signs for HD DVD, with analysts predicting a much tighter disc sales race for the crucial holiday shopping season.

First off, there's last week's record-breaking HD DVD-exclusive release of 'Transformers' (which reportedly sold 190,000 units in its first seven days), followed by several upcoming high-profile releases exclusive to the HD DVD format, including 'Shrek the Third' and the newly remastered 'Star Trek: The Original Series - Season One' (an HD DVD/DVD combo disc release that will not be made available as a standalone standard-def DVD).

Of course, the Blu-ray camp has its own high-profile exclusive releases scheduled, sales of which which could very well exceed those of the above-listed HD DVD titles. Among the highly anticipated titles headed to Blu-ray this quarter are 'Spider-Man 3,' 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' and 'The Simpsons Movie.'

Add hardware to the equation, and it becomes an even muddier picture. With prices dropping for next-gen players on both side of the aisle, there's no telling how many new early adopters will be entering the fray over the next two months, or what effect their hardware purchases will have on overall disc sales.

As always, stay with us for continuing coverage.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Blu-ray outsells HD-DVD in U.S. for first 9 months [Reuters]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Transformers (2007) (HD DVD)
Shrek the Third (HD DVD)
Star Trek: The Original Series - Season One (HD DVD)
Spider-Man 3 (Blu-ray)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Blu-ray)
The Simpsons Movie (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Transformers' HD DVD Smashes First-Week Sales Records

'Transformers' HD DVD Smashes First-Week Sales Records

Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 05:27 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Paramount, DreamWorks, Michael Bay (all tags)

Paramount says first-week sales numbers for its HD DVD release of 'Transformers' top those of any other high-def disc released on either next gen format to date.

According to a just-issued press release from Paramount, the HD DVD edition of 'Transformers' sold over 100,000 units in its first day of release, and went on to sell an additional 90,000 units over next six days, making it the fastest and best-selling week one release on either high definition format, as well as the best selling HD DVD ever.

The standard-def version of 'Transformers' also made news, moving over 8.3 million units in its first week, and 4.5 million copies on day one, a new record for the year 2007.

"The performance of the 'Transformers' DVD and HD DVD has demonstrated the phenomenal success of this global franchise," said Kelley Avery, president, Worldwide Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures. “We’re happy to be kicking off the fourth quarter with a title that clearly shows home entertainment releases are still an event that drives consumers into stores—which is a win for both content providers and retailers.”

Paramount's HD DVD release of 'Transformers' last week came less than two months after the studio abruptly announced it would drop support of the Blu-ray format, and would release its next-gen titles on HD DVD exclusively. The studio reportedly received $150 million in exchange for its exclusivity.

Thanks to Michael for the tip!

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Transformers Becomes This Year’s Top-Selling DVD and the Best-Selling High Definition Title Day One and Week One for Either Format [Press Release]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Transformers (2007) (HD DVD)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
AP: Paramount/DreamWorks Drops Blu-ray; Studio to Support HD DVD Exclusively (Aug 20, 2007)

'300' Blu-ray Outsells HD DVD by 2 to 1

Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 01:36 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Industry Trends, Warner (all tags)

In its first week out of the gate, consumers preferred the Blu-ray edition of '300' nearly twice as much as its HD DVD counterpart.

That's according to numbers which first appeared Wednesday in a USA Today blog post and again today in a new article at Home Media Magazine.

This news follows Warner's announcement earlier this week that the Blu-ray and HD DVD editions of '300' had shattered earlier records to become the fastest and best-selling high-def disc title yet. Warner's press release, which emphasized the studio's dual-format support, did not break out sales numbers (or ratios) for the two formats.

While the 65:35 ratio roughly matches the overall market share for both formats, HD DVD supporters had hoped that a series of supplemental features exclusive to the HD DVD edition of '300' might help the format pull out from under its next-gen rival.

There's been no official response from the HD DVD camp, but sources suggested to High-Def Digest this morning that -- like 'Casino Royale' before it -- '300' struck a particular chord with Blu-ray's PS3-dominated consumer base.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Blu-ray continues to outpace HD DVD [USA Today]
'300' is Magic Number on Video [Home Media Magazine]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
300 (Blu-ray)
300 (HD DVD)
Casino Royale (2006) (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'300' Breaks Blu-ray, HD DVD Sales Records (Aug 07, 2007)
Warner to Debut First "Blue Screen" Picture-in-Picture Commentary with '300' HD DVD (Jun 26, 2007)

'300' Breaks Blu-ray, HD DVD Sales Records

Tue Aug 07, 2007 at 11:35 AM ET
Tags: Warner, Disc Sales (all tags)

Well, that didn't take long. A week after its initial release, '300' has eclipsed all previous releases to become the fastest and highest selling high-def disc yet.

According to Warner Home Video, more than 250,000 copies of the CGI epic have been sold to consumers on Blu-ray and HD DVD.

In a press release issued this morning, the studio boasts that '300' now joins five other Warner titles in the top ten best selling high definition titles -- a list that includes 'The Departed,' 'Superman Returns,' 'Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series,' 'Batman Begins,' and 'Happy Feet.'

The studio was quick to point to its dual-format support as the reason for its success. "This phenomenal response to '300’'is the latest proof that our approach makes the most sense in today’s market and has enabled Warner Home Video to continue to lead the market in high definition sales," said Ron Sanders, President of Warner Home Video.

Warner says it now has a more than 30% market share of high-def disc sales thanks to its dual-format strategy.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Warner Home Video Breaks Another High Definition Record with "300" [Press Release]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
300 (Blu-ray)
300 (HD DVD)
The Departed (Blu-ray)
The Departed (Combo Edition) (HD DVD)
Superman Returns (Blu-ray)
Superman Returns (Combo Edition) (HD DVD)
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (Blu-ray)
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (HD DVD)
Batman Begins (HD DVD)
Happy Feet (Blu-ray)
Happy Feet (Combo Edition) (HD DVD)

'Planet Earth' Generates Record HD DVD, Blu-ray Sales Revenue

Thu Jun 07, 2007 at 12:26 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Warner (all tags)

Proving once again that disc sales can be measured on any number of levels, Warner Home Video has announced that the dual-format release of 'Planet Earth: The Complete Series' is the biggest high-def disc moneymaker yet.

According to figures provided by Warner, which distributed the British series in the U.S. for BBC Video, the box set has generated $3.2 million in consumer spending since its release on Blu-ray and HD DVD on April 24.

The Hollywood Reporter estimates that that number translates to about 42,000 units -- well below the record-breaking 100,000 units sold of 'The Departed,' but at roughly $70 a pop, Warner says the BBC series still tops the high-def charts from a revenue perspective. (The company says 'The Departed' has thus far generated 2.8 million in consumer spending.)

Cue the typically boastful exec quote: "The consumer response to 'Planet Earth: The Complete Series' on both high-definition formats has been absolutely incredible, and we are truly proud to be a part of it," said Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders. "This landmark series was made for high definition, and 'Planet Earth' will be an iconic staple in our natural-history documentary library for a very long time."

The four-disc 'Planet Earth' box set (which famously broke high-def sales records upon its original release at Amazon.com) features the unedited 8+ hour British version of the landmark nature series, narrated by David Attenborough. A recut U.S. version of the series premiered earlier this year on the Discovery Channel, with actress Sigorney Weaver narrating.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
'Earth' Sales Better Than the Rest on High-Def Disc [The Hollywood Reporter]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (Blu-ray)
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (HD DVD)
The Departed (Blu-ray)
The Departed (Combo Edition) (HD DVD)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Planet Earth' Breaks New Amazon Record

Warner Says 'Departed' is Most Sold High-Def Title; Studio Trumpets Dual Support of HD DVD, Blu-ray

Thu May 24, 2007 at 01:58 AM ET
Tags: Warner, Disc Sales (all tags)

Warner Home Entertainment today announced that their dual-format release of 'The Departed' is the highest selling high-def disc title, having moved over 100,000 units since its release in February of this year.

Those who keep track of such things may remember that back in March, Sony issued its own press release saying that the Blu-ray edition of 'Casino Royale' (released a full month after 'The Departed') had shipped 100,000 units. The key difference between the two announcements is that Sony's referred to the number of discs shipped, whereas Warner's refers to the number of discs sold.

The other key difference when comparing sales totals for 'The Departed' with any other release from a format-exclusive studio is that Warner's sales count for 'The Departed' includes sales of both the Blu-ray edition *and* the HD DVD edition, since Warner supports both high-def formats, a fact emphasized in the studio's press release, issued early Thursday morning.

"It's no accident that Warner is the first studio to reach this benchmark. We owe this success to a combination of great content and our decision to support both high definition formats... By releasing titles on HD DVD and Blu-ray, Warner Home Video not only increases our potential audience reach, but also offers consumers assurance that regardless of the format they choose they can enjoy our movies."

While Warner is not the only format-neutral studio, it has been the most aggressive, releasing more titles than any other studio, and even planning to release (and license to other studios) its own hybrid format (dubbed "Total Hi-Def") sometime later this year.

"High definition media represents an incredible opportunity for the industry, and we, as content providers, can help push mainstream adoption by producing in both formats and giving the consumer a simple choice," said Sanders. "At a time when the home video business is flat and high definition media presents our best hope for near term growth, it is unfortunate that we as an industry continue to perpetuate consumer confusion."

Thanks to drbotonus for the tip!

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Warner Home Video First to Break the 100K Sold Mark in High Definition Titles with "The Departed" [Press Release]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
The Departed (Blu-ray)
The Departed (Combo Edition) (HD DVD)
Casino Royale (2006) (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Casino Royale' Blu-ray Breaks 100,000 Unit Milestone (Mar 27, 2007)
First Look at Warner Total Hi Def Packaging (Jan 10, 2007)
Warner Intros Total Hi-Def (Jan 09, 2007)
Warner to Unveil First Blu-ray/HD DVD Hybrid Discs at CES (Jan 04, 2007)

Disc Sales: 'Planet Earth' a Chart-Topper on HD DVD, Blu-ray

Mon May 14, 2007 at 02:48 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales (all tags)

Everything came up 'Planet Earth' on the next-gen sales chart for the week ending May 6, with the HD DVD and Blu-ray versions of the acclaimed BBC nature documentary commanding the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively.

Though the Blu-ray format still enjoyed the overall lead in market share for the week (60 percent versus HD DVD's 40 percent), the HD DVD version of 'Planet Earth' edged out its Blu rival to snag the pole position on the Nielsen chart.

However, it was still a close race, with the Blu-ray version selling 95 copies to every 100 of the HD DVD version.

'Planet Earth' has become something of a sales surprise ever since it was first announced for next-gen release back in April. It quickly ascended up the Amazon rankings for all top-selling discs (including both DVD and high-def), with the HD DVD edition eventually hitting the highest placing so far for a next-gen title.

Also scoring high on the next-gen sales chart for the week of May 6 were Fox's 'Night at the Museum' (No. 3), Buena Vista's 'Deja Vu' (No. 4) -- both Blu-ray exclusives -- and Paramount's cross-format bow of the Oscar-winner 'Dreamgirls' (No. 5).

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
'Planet' HD [Home Media Retailing]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (Blu-ray)
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (HD DVD)
Night at the Museum (Blu-ray)
Deja Vu (Blu-ray)
Dreamgirls (HD DVD)
Dreamgirls (Re-Issue) (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Disc Sales: 'Planet Earth' Breaks New Amazon Record; HD DVD Staging a Comeback? (Apr 17, 2007)


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