‘Jurassic World’ Enjoys Brief VOD Rebound Before ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Lands

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In a strategic move by Universal, “Jurassic World: Dominion” ($19.99) kept “Elvis” (WBD/$19.99) from two clear weeks at the top of VOD charts. Next week, all other game plans will be moot: “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount/$19.99) comes to PVOD rental platforms Tuesday and will undoubtedly dominate for the foreseeable future.

Meantime, Netflix viewers continue to confound their overlords by preferring to watch the streamers’ less high-profile original films rather than the more expensive star-branded ones. “Look Both Ways” with “Riverdale” star Lili Reinhart as a college senior thinking through alternatives for her future knocked off Jamie Foxx’s “Day Shift” (now #3).

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“Jurassic” will come to Peacock on September 2, with both the release version and one with extended scenes. The studio released the latter to PVOD this week. It was treated differently by different platforms — Google Play lists the two separately (at #2 and #3), while Vudu and iTunes combined revenues, landing it at #1 at the former, #2 at the latter. That explains its position flip with “Minions: The Rise of Gru” (Universal/$19.99) at all sites.

Only iTunes includes “Maverick” pre-buys on its charts, where it currently sits at #3 even though paying early doesn’t confer any advantage. The only title to place on all four charts is “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate/$5.99), providing further evidence of Nicolas Cage as a powerful draw.

“Orphan: First Kill” - Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Orphan: First Kill” - Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

This week saw four other new releases make the top 10. Two are from Paramount: “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Frank” (after four weeks in theaters) and “Orphan: First Kill” (released same day in theaters) are also available on Paramount Plus. Streamers are important, but not enough to make studios willing to concede the immediate and direct revenue of PVOD.

Also showing up at iTunes from IFC are new releases “Rogue Agent” and “Spin Me Round.” They’re new releases budget priced at $3.99 to $4.99.  Universal tweeted out late Monday that “Nope” will be available at home this Friday, but without specifying the platforms. It would be unusual for it to not be at least on PVOD.

The big news for Netflix is its announcement that “Glass Onion,” the first of two “Knives Out” sequels, will stream December 23 with an earlier showing in “select” theaters. It’s a strange plan: The Netflix debut comes more than three months after its September Toronto premiere and its theatrical strategy is inconclusive.

Select usually means limited, but since Netflix and studios often don’t speak exactly the same language, it could mean the theater plan remains a work in progress that could be influenced by festival response. Theaters would be much more interested in a fall opening, when pickings are slimmer, rather than during the crowded Thanksgiving and Christmas period. “Avatar: The Way of Water,” of course, opens December 16.

“Look Both Ways” - Credit: Bettina Strauss / Netflix
“Look Both Ways” - Credit: Bettina Strauss / Netflix

Bettina Strauss / Netflix

Apart from “Look Both Ways” upending Jamie Foxx’s comedy, the newest installment in the Netflix docuseries “Untold,” “The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist,” is already #2. “The Next 365 Days,” the third installment in their sex thriller franchise, is #5.

The Russo brothers’ $200 million “The Gray Man” is still #7 in its fifth weekend. Based on past similar originals, it’s a respectable position in its second month of availability.

iTunes and Google Play rank films daily by number of transactions. These are the listings for August 22. Distributors listed are current rights owners. Prices for all titles are for rental.

iTunes

1. Elvis (WBD) – $19.99

2. Jurassic World: Dominion (Universal) – $19.99

3. Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) – $19.99  (prebuys)

4. Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal) – $19.99

5. Watcher (IFC) – $0.99

6. Vengeance (Focus) – $19.99

7. Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) – $4.99

8. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) – $4.99

9. Rogue Agent (IFC) – $4.99

10. Spin Me Round (IFC) – $4.99

Google Play

1. Elvis (WBD) – $19.99

2. Jurassic World: Dominion (Universal) – $19.99

3. Jurassic World: Dominion (expanded version) (Universal) – $19.99

4. Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal) – $19.99

5. Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) – $4.99

6. The Black Phone (Universal) – $19.99

7. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) – $4.99

8. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Paramount) – $4.99

9. Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony) – $5.99

10. The Bad Guys (Universal) – $5.99

Vudu

Vudu ranks by revenue, not transactions, which elevates Premium VOD titles. This list covers August 15-21

1. Jurassic World: Dominion (Universal) – $19.99

2. Elvis (WBD) – $19.99

3. Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal) – $19.99

4. Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (Paramount) – $19.99

5. Orphan: First Kill (Paramount) – $19.99

6. The Black Phone (Universal) – $19.99

7. Vengeance (Focus) – $19.99

8. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (WBD) – $5.99

9. My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (Crunchyroll) – $9.99

10. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) – $5.99

Netflix Movies

Most viewed, current ranking on Netflix’s daily chart on Monday, August 22. Originals include both Netflix-produced and -acquired titles it initially presents in the U.S. Netflix publishes its own weekly top 10 on Tuesdays based on time viewed.

1. Look Both Ways (2022 Netflix original)

2. Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist (2022 Netflix original documentary)

3. Day Shift (2022 Netflix original)

4. Uncharted (2022 theatrical release)

5. The Next 365 Days (2022 Polish Netflix original)

6. Sing 2 (2021 theatrical release)

7. The Gray Man (2022 Netflix original)

8. The Informer (2019 theatrical release)

9. Purple Hearts (2022 Netflix original)

10. Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar (2022 Netflix original)

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