Fox claims top Blu-ray spot for Wolverine
PHYSICAL: Title also winning audiences on cable VOD
By Marcy Magiera -- Video Business, 10/22/2009
OCT. 22 | PHYSICAL: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine became the top-selling Blu-ray Disc release of the year after less than four weeks in stores, according to the studio.
Fox says Wolverine was the top cable VOD title for two weeks.
Fox declined to give a sales figure for the franchise title, but industry sources put Blu-ray sales at about 850,000 units.
“The resounding success of Wolverine on Blu-ray reveals that the consumer still craves their movies the best way possible,” Fox executive VP of marketing Mary Daily said in a statement.
Blu-ray accounted for 30% of Wolverine’s total packaged media sales, according to DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group.
Fox also claims the No. 2 new release Blu-ray of the year, with MGM’s James Bond title Quantum of Solace.
The studio said Wolverine also was the top cable video-on-demand title for two weeks running.
Blu-ray and digital distribution, including cable VOD, are the growing segments of the home entertainment business, which is seeing DVD sales decline.
Though still relatively small pieces of the overall home entertainment pie, Blu-ray sales grew 83% in the first three quarters of the year, according to DEG, while digital distribution, including cable and satellite VOD and Internet sales and rentals, grew 20%.
