Scream VI
July 26, 2023
Paramount Home Entertainment’s Scream VI was the top-selling new release the week ended July 15 on the Circana VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks combined DVD and Blu-ray Disc unit sales, and topped the dedicated Blu-ray Disc chart as well.
However, the well-regarded horror sequel was edged out on the overall disc sales chart by returning favorite The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the animated adaptation of the Nintendo video game franchise from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Super Mario Bros., in the fifth week since its official release date, retained the No. 1 overall spot it held a week earlier. The film had previously been the top seller in the week leading up to its official release thanks to early availability at the nation’s top brick-and-mortar retail chains.
In its first week, Scream VI sold 95% as many copies as Super Mario Bros. HD formats accounted for 65% of total Scream VI unit sales, with 32% from regular Blu-ray and 33% from its 4K Ultra HD edition (which is not a combo pack that contains a regular Blu-ray). With Super Mario Bros. having just 56% of its total from Blu-ray (45% regular and 11% 4K), the HD gap was enough to push Scream VI to the top of the Blu-ray and dedicated 4K disc charts.
Super Mario Bros. was the No. 2 Blu-ray and No. 6 4K seller.
The No. 3 overall disc seller, with 85% as many sales as the top seller, was Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4. The actioner was No. 2 on the Blu-ray chart with 96% as many HD sales as Scream VI, as it had 69% of its sales come from Blu-ray (48% regular and 21% 4K) in its fifth official week of release. The “John Wick” sequel was No. 3 on the 4K chart.
No. 4 on the overall disc chart was Disney-owned 20th Century Studios’ Avatar: The Way of Water, which was No. 5 on the Blu-ray chart and No. 4 on the 4K chart in its fourth week of physical-media availability. Way of Water continues to underperform in HD relative to its pedigree, posting just a 52% Blu-ray Disc share of its total unit sales, with 27% from regular Blu-ray, 7% from 3D, and 18% from 4K.
The No. 5 overall seller was another newcomer, Lionsgate’s Sisu, a Finnish actioner set in World War II about a gold prospector who takes on a Nazi death squad. It was No. 4 on the Blu-ray chart and No. 2 on the 4K chart, with 78% of its total unit sales coming from HD formats (40% regular Blu-ray and 38% 4K).
Among other new releases, Universal’s Book Club: The Next Chapter was No. 6 overall (No. 14 on the Blu-ray chart); Sony Pictures’ Knights of the Zodiac debuted at No. 8 (No. 11 Blu-ray); and Lionsgate’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret was No. 11 overall (No. 22 Blu-ray).
Detailed charts will be posted here shortly.