In a landscape where six out of the top eight film distributors have their own streaming platforms, Lionsgate and Sony Studios stand out by excelling in-home viewing without the burden of heavy investments…
This week, Universal claims three out of the top eight positions with their latest release, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which sits at the number one spot on all three video-on-demand charts. Lionsgate secures three films in eight slots, while Sony impressively occupies six slots, including three films in the Netflix top 10.
John Wick: Chapter 4”Murray Close/Lionsgate
Universal’s ability to secure multiple placements is not uncommon, given its extensive film catalog and consistent policy of releasing movies on premium video-on-demand platforms within a month or even less. On the other hand, Lionsgate’s accomplishment required astute strategies. Despite underperforming at theaters with modest earnings of around $7 million each, both “Operation Fortune: Russe de Guerre” and “Sisu” have succeeded on premium video-on-demand platforms, surpassing films that fared better in cinemas.
“Sisu” is a Finnish World War II film that fits the profile of the international action titles frequently launched by Netflix, typically garnering only fleeting attention. The film premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section, where Sony Worldwide acquired distribution rights for North America, subsequently partnering with Lionsgate for distribution. The fact that “Sisu” is performing well at home, ranking second on iTunes and Vudu, indicates that its theatrical release generated awareness among an audience eager for new war-themed titles. Our critic, David Ehrlich, categorizes it firmly within the “they pissed off the wrong guy” genre.
Lionsgate released both “Operation Fortune: Russe de Guerre” and “Sisu” for home viewing ahead of the highly anticipated “John Wick: Chapter 4,” which had an earlier theatrical release. The PVOD release of “John Wick: Chapter 4” is scheduled for Tuesday (according to iTunes’s daily chart, pre-sales position it at number 10). It wouldn’t be surprising if it temporarily displaces “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Universal has set rental prices at an elevated $24.99, and the download price at $29.99, maximizing their profits.
Four other titles have secured placements across all three video-on-demand platforms. Sony’s “65” holds the third position on iTunes, priced at a reduced $5.95. Additionally, “The Covenant” from MGM, “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” from Paramount (ranking second on Google Play), and “Evil Dead Rise” from Warner Bros. Discovery complete the list.
Two other newly released films have made an impact: “To Catch a Killer” from Vertical and “Big George Foreman” from Sony. Starring Shaillene Woodley, “To Catch a Killer” marks the American debut of Damián Szifron, the Argentine director of “Wild Tales.” Despite having a limited theatrical run, it achieved a high position of number five on iTunes with a price tag of $6.99. “Big George Foreman,” which failed to attract audiences in theaters, debuted on video-on-demand at $19.99 after its third weekend. Revenue rather than transaction numbers aided its placement on Vudu’s chart.
Sony continues to dominate the streaming landscape with “Missing,” the sequel to 2018’s “Searching,” claiming the top spot on Netflix. “Searching” started as a $7 million sleeper hit, grossing $37 million following its Sundance premiere. Another Sony title, “A Man Called Otto,” remains in the third position. Joining the top five is “The Son,” a follow-up by Sony Pictures Classics to “The Father,” which had a lackluster theatrical performance with a gross of $450,000, despite featuring Hugh Jackman in the lead role. This response seems to be yet another instance of Netflix’s vast viewer base opting to watch films they know little about but that feature prominent stars.
In its second week, “The Mother,” starring Jennifer Lopez, claims the second spot. Two other original releases also made their debut: the documentary “Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me” and the Dutch thriller “Faithfully Yours.
