Viewers Can’t Get Enough 'Sex'

2 Oct, 2008 By: Thomas K. Arnold

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Sex sells — and rents. New Line Cinema’s last big movie, Sex and the City: The Movie, distributed by Warner Home Video, debuted at No. 1 on all three charts the week ended Sept. 28, officially kicking off the frenzied fourth-quarter selling season.

Sex and the City, with a box office pedigree of $152.7 million, ruled the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart for the week, in part because there was no other theatrical blockbuster coming to video that week. The film sold 13 times as many DVDs and Blu-ray Discs as second-ranked Leatherheads, from Universal Studios, which earned just $31.2 million in theaters.

The previous week’s top home video seller, Sony Pictures’ Made of Honor, slipped to No. 3, while Warner’s Speed Racer skidded to No. 4 from its second-place debut the previous week.

On Home Media Magazine’s video rental chart, Leatherheads also debuted at No. 2, behind Sex, but it fared significantly better in rental stores than it did on the sales counter. The comedy generated 80% as much rental activity as the big-screen remake of the saucy HBO TV series, according to Home Media Magazine market research.

The previous week’s top renter, Made of Honor, slipped to No. 4, while Universal Studios’ Baby Mama held pat at No. 3.

Sex and the City also was the top Blu-ray Disc seller for the week, with Paramount’s The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration boxed set a strong No. 2. Leatherheads debuted at No. 5 on the Nielsen VideoScan Blu-ray Disc First Alert chart.
 

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