Home Audiences Will Pay Top Dollar for VOD: ‘Candyman,’ ‘F9,’ and ‘Black Widow’ Prove It

Tom Brueggemann
·4 min read
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“Candyman” dominated every platform in its first weekend on premium VOD. Available for $19.99, the Universal horror movie aligned with standard studio strategy to debut on home platforms after its third week of theatrical play. It still ranked #4 in theaters, falling only 26 percent.

Nia DaCosta’s update of the 1993 horror classic displaced the studio’s own “F9” ($19.99), after an expanded edition returned the widely seen sequel to #1 across all charts last week. The worldwide top grossing film of 2021 ($716 million, with less than 25 percent domestic) is now #2 at both Vudu and Google Play, and #3 at iTunes.

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The strength of “Candyman” took #1 on Vudu’s full week chart, even though its release covered only three days of Vudu’s listing period. Of the 17 different films on the three VOD charts, 10 are PVOD titles ($19.99 or higher) and fill 23 of the 30 total slots.

Four PVOD films made all three charts: “Candyman,” “F9,” “Black Widow” (now reduced to $19.99), and “The Suicide Squad,” which is new this week after theatrical and HBO Max play. For the first time, all films on the revenue-ranked Vudu chart are PVOD.

“The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (Lionsgate/$5.99) is the leading non-PVOD title, ranking in the top five for iTunes and Google Play. There is a dearth of VOD originals, with fewer same-day action-related genre releases sparking home interest. It’s unclear whether this is a short-term blip or a sign of the strength in theatrical films.

Nicolas Cage, of course, is the exception to the rule. Veteran cult director Sion Sono’s “Prisoners of the Ghostland” (RLJE/$6.99) fell just short of Google Play’s top 10 with a day-and-date opening. It grossed about $70,000 in 134 theaters.

Unknown are at-home results for another day-and-date title, “Cry Macho,” which debuted in theaters and on HBO Max. The Warner Bros. box office report, which mentioned HBO Max response for some previous releases, was silent. Clint Eastwood’s latest film was a disappointing #3 this weekend in theaters with under $4.5 million.

Netflix leads with “Safe House,” Universal’s 2012 CIA thriller starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, and three new original entries continue to reflect the platform’s eclectic offerings. Best at #3 is “The Father Who Moves Mountains,” a Romanian variation of the Liam Neeson genre. At #4 is “Nightbooks,” a Sam Raimi production about a boy who’s obsessed with horror stories and is held captive by a young witch. Cédric Jimenez’s “The Stronghold” is #6, a French crime story that premiered out of competition at Cannes 2021. A theatrical release in France, it grossed about $12 million in its first month.

iTunes and Google Play rank films daily by number of transactions, irrespective of revenue accrued. These are the listings for September 20. Distributors listed are current rights owners.

iTunes

1. Candyman (Universal) – $19.99

2. Black Widow (Disney) – $19.99

3. F9 (Universal) – $19.99 (both theatrical release and expanded versions)

4. The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros.) – $19.99

5. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (Lionsgate) – $5.99

6. Prisoners of the Ghostland (RLJE) – $6.99

7. Lansky (Vertical) – $0.99

8. Venom (Sony) – $3.99

9. Jungle Cruise (Disney) – $29.99

10. Tombstone (Disney) – $3.99

Google Play

1. Candyman (Universal) – $19.99

2. F9 (Universal) – $ 19.99 (expanded version)

3. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (Lionsgate) – $5.99

4. A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount) – $4.99

5. The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros.) – $19.99

6. Black Widow (Disney) – $19.99

7. F9 (Universal) – $19.99 (theatrical release version)

8. Spider-Man: Far from Home (Sony) – $3.99

9. Don’t Breathe 2 (Sony) – $19.99

10. Venom (Sony) – $3.99

Vudu

Vudu ranks by revenue earned, not transactions, which elevates Premium VOD titles. This list covers September 13-19

1. Candyman (Universal) – $19.99

2. F9 (Universal) – $ 19.99 (both theatrical release and expanded versions)

3. The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros.) – $19.99

4. Black Widow (Disney) – $19.99

5. The Forever Purge (Universal) – $19.99

6. Jungle Cruise (Disney) – $29.99

7. Don’t Breathe 2 (Sony) – $19.99

8. The Boss Baby: Family Business (Universal) – $19.99

9. Snake Eyes (Paramount) – $19.99

10. The Conjuring – The Devil Made Me Do It (Warner Bros.) – $19.99

Netflix Movies

Most viewed, current ranking as of Monday, September 20; originals include both Netflix-produced and Netflix-acquired titles they initially presented in the U.S.

1. Safe House (2012 theatrical release)

2. Kate (2021 Netflix original)

3. The Father Who Moved Mountains (2021 Netflix Romanian original)

4. Nightbooks (2021 Netflix original)

5. An Unfinished Life (2006 theatrical release)

6. The Stronghold (2021 French Netflix original)

7. Vivo (2021 animated Netflix original)

8. Birth of the Dragon (2016 theatrical release)

9. Firedrake the Silver Dragon (2021 German Netflix animated original)

10. School of Rock (2003 theatrical release)

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