'Catching Fire' Sells 1.85 Million Blu-ray Discs in 3 days.

[Blu Titan]

THG: Catching Fire sales 3.9 million discs in its first week. Blu-ray receiving 50% of sales up from the 35% it received when the first installment was released .

Lionsgate: 'Catching Fire' Sells 3.9 Million Discs Opening Weekend


Blu-ray Disc accounts for 50% of packaged-media sales; digital sales up nearly 40%

Lionsgate March 11 said The Hunger Games: Catching Fire sold an estimated 3.9 million DVD and Blu-ray Disc units in its first weekend of North American release (launched March 7), and had the biggest digital launch in the mini-major’s history, with opening weekend digital sales increasing nearly 40% over the first "Hunger Games" film.

The digital performance was driven by No. 1 openings on all major digital platforms, including iTunes, Xbox, Amazon, Vudu, Comcast Xfinity, Verizon FiOS, Google Play and Sony Entertainment Network, among others.

Higher-margin Blu-ray titles surged to 50% of all packaged-media sales of Catching Fire in its opening weekend compared with 35% of packaged-media sales of the first "Hunger Games" film.

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Lionsgate opened Catching Fire on nearly 20 digital platforms, including six that have launched since the home entertainment debut of the first "Hunger Games" film in 2012.

“This is a monster opening and a tremendous result for the second film in a franchise, underscoring the enormous momentum of the 'Hunger Games' films,” Ron Schwartz, president and GM of home entertainment sales and distribution, said in a statement. “With strong increases in digital revenue and Blu-ray accounting for 50% of packaged-media sales, the opening weekend performance … is a testament to the strength of the franchise.”

Catching Fire grossed $424 million at the North American theatrical box office, the 10th highest-grossing domestic release of all time, marking the first time that the first two installments of a franchise grossed more than $400 million at the domestic box office. The next two "Hunger Games" films, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 and Part 2, will be released Nov. 21, 2014, and Nov. 20, 2015, respectively.



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