The number of new releases reached double digits on the sales chart this week, if you include Kung Fu Panda, which got a two-day jump on sales last week. This week it took first place with 3.76 million units sold and $63.91 million in revenue for totals of 4.54 million and $77.42 million. Hellboy II - The Golden Army earned second place with a still impressive opening of 1.38 million units sold and $28.68 million in revenue. Star Wars - The Clone Wars was well back in third place with opening week sales of 539,000 units and $10.93 million while This Christmas was relatively close behind with 408,000 units / $8.26 million. The only holdover in the top five was Get Smart, which added 395,000 units and $7.40 million this week for totals of $1.26 million units and $23.90 million after two.

While there were plenty of other new releases to chart, none were in the top ten. The best of the rest was Katt Williams - It's Pimpin' Pimpin', which landed in 12th place with 152,000 units sold and $2.29 million in revenue. Beer for My Horses was right behind with 150,000 units sold, but thanks to a higher list price it generated $3.00 million in revenue. There was a duet of Christmas releases next with Radio City Christmas Spectacular Starring the Rockettes placing 15th with 134,000 units and $1.21 million and The Perfect Holiday placing 16th with 107,000 units and $2.15 million. Further down the list we find Scrubs - Season Seven in 18th place with opening week sales of 99,000 units / $1.97 million. Finally we get to Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage in 21st place with 86,000 units and $1.29 million.

Thanks to two prime movers coming out this week, Blu-ray sales skyrocketed by than 83% to $20.2 million for the week. This is the second best weekly performance for the format ever. As for the DVD comparisons, it sold 10.4% of the total market and 9% of the top twenty comparison and both of those were improvements over the past two weeks. We don't have estimates on sales numbers, but Hellboy II - The Golden Army reportedly outsold Kung Fu Panda by about 40%

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2008-11-26