Millions of Cheap People on the Home Market

June 3, 2006

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 opened its home market run with an easily win pulling in $7.24 million during its first week of release. That's probably enough for the film to show a profit, something it just missed doing during its worldwide theatrical run. This pushed The Ringer into a distant second place with $4.64 million for the week and $11.04 million during its run. Rumor Has It continues to find second life on the home market as it remained in third place during its third week of release; so far the film has brought in $16.23 million including $4.39 million this week. On the other hand, When a Stranger Calls fell from second to fourth with just $4.16 million for the week and $10.43 during its run. The final film in the top five was The Family Stone, which climbed a spot to fifth with $3.33 million and now has $20.52 million after nearly a month of release.

There was only one new release in the top five, but three more were further down the charts led by Bloodrayne in 13th place with $2.05 million. The vastly superior film, Transamerica, finished in 16th place with $1.68 million while direct-to-DVD far, Hollow Man 2 opened in 25th place with $1.07 million.

Overall the total rentals were up 3.8% for the week at $145.7 million, but that was down 3.4% from the same week last year. This means 2006 has again dipped below 2005's pace but it is down just 0.1% at $3.3 billion.

Things were much busier on the sales chart with three new releases in the top five and seven in the top twenty. Leading the way was the TV movie, High School Musical, which has turned into a minor cultural phenomenon after selling 400,000 units opening day and 1.2 million during the week. Fellow new release, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, opened in second place ahead of This pushed The Ringer and When a Stranger Calls. Rounding out the top five was Bloodrayne. ... Bloodrayne! If you guys keep buying his movies, he'll keep making more.

The next new release was Boston Legal - The Complete First Season in seventh place, which is very high for a TV on DVD release. On the other hand, Deadwood - The Complete Second Season just missed the top ten coming in 11th place, but that is also a very impressive start for a TV on DVD release. Transamerica was just behind in 12th, a strong result for a limited release, while Kingdom of Heaven - 4-Disc Director's Cut opened in 13th place. ... Which is a very good result for a Special Edition release. I hate repeating myself so much, but all four new releases to miss the top five did well given the category they belong in.

Moving onto the TV on DVD releases, it was even busier that the DVD sales chart with four new releases in the top five and eight in the top ten. Leading the way was the overall DVD leader, High School Musical, while both second place Boston Legal - The Complete First Season and third place Deadwood - The Complete Second Season placed on the overall sales chart. Fourth place went to M*A*S*H - The Complete Tenth Season. The only holdover in the top five was the unstoppable Grey's Anatomy - Season 1 in fifth place.

Just missing the top five was The 4400 - The Complete Second Season while the long awaited DVD debut of Wings placed seventh, just ahead of The Closer - The Complete First Season. Rounding out the top ten was Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan - The Complete First Season, whose sales were undoubtedly helped by Oprah's adulation on several recent shows.

On a side note, the only other holdover in the top ten was Scrubs - The Complete Third Season, which fell from third to ninth.


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Filed under: Cheaper by the Dozen 2, The Family Stone, When a Stranger Calls, Kingdom of Heaven, Rumor Has It, The Ringer, Transamerica, BloodRayne