Projections: 'Hunger Games' Sequel Ready to Catch Fire at Retail

10 Mar, 2014 By: John Latchem

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Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is primed to dominate the home entertainment sales charts for the week ending March 9, despite a Friday release date that limits its availablility in the market.

Still, the immesne popularity of the “Hunger Games” franchise — Catching Fire was the top-grossing film of 2013 at the domestic box office, with $424 million — should drive not only huge disc sales in the first week, but also enough to keep the film atop the disc sales charts into a second week.

The success of Catching Fire will displace Disney’s Thor: The Dark World from the top of the sales charts, though the superhero film will continue to place high on the charts.

Another new release, Fox’s 12 Years a Slave, should also sell well, coming off its Oscar win for Best Picture.

The late release of Catching Fire will probably keep the film from topping the rental chart its first week. The best bet for the top rental is Universal’s Dallas Buyers Club, coming off some prime Oscar wins in the acting categories.

Rank	Title	Studio	Weeks on Chart
	Projected Top 3 Sellers for Week Ending 3/9/2014
1	The Hunger Games: Catching Fire	Lionsgate	New
2	12 Years a Slave	Fox	New
3	Thor: The Dark World	Disney/Marvel	2
	Projected Top 3 Rentals for Week Ending 3/9/2014
1	Dallas Buyers Club	Universal	5
2	Captain Phillips	Sony Pictures	7
3	The Hunger Games: Catching Fire	Lionsgate	New

 

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