‘Malcolm & Marie’ Soars at Netflix as ‘Greenland’ Continues to Score at a Premium VOD Price

Tom Brueggemann
·4 min read

Just as the Super Bowl traditionally inhibits studios from releasing new titles to theaters, there were few fresh films available on home platforms. As a result, four titles — all previously ranked #1 on multiple charts — took the top spots again. The exception was Netflix, which debuted “Malcolm & Marie” February 5. Starring Zendaya and John David Washington, it immediately became the streamer’s most-watched film.

Long-running, still-Premium VOD titles “Greenland” and “News of the World,” along with $5.99 rentals “Tenet” and “Let Him Go,” are this week’s chart toppers. “News” and “Tenet” made all four lists (as did “The War with Grandpa”). “Let Him Go” failed to make Spectrum’s top 10, with its price reduction coming too late to impact the list.

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There were a few surprises. Why is “2067,” an Australian science-fiction film starring Ryan Kwanten and Kodi Smit McPhee, available for $0.99 at Apple? (It’s more expensive elsewhere.) “Promising Young Woman,” in its fourth week at $19.99, continues to show consistent interest with #4 and #5 placements. Nate Parker’s “American Skin” has staying power as a standard-price release, charting three places.

Studio Ghibli’s “Earwig and the Witch” premiered on HBO Max. Mike Cahill’s “Bliss” debuted on Amazon. Disney+ remains quiet on the new feature-film front; it’s seen nothing major since “Soul.” Things will pick up with awards contenders “Judas and the Black Messiah” coming to theaters and HBO Max this Friday. A24’s “Minari” will debut with its own virtual platform Friday, along with initial theaters; “Nomadland” comes to Hulu the following week.

Netflix was its usual schizophrenic grab bag. After a series of more general-audience debuts, including some obscure action titles, “Malcolm & Marie” popped up as the first black-and-white film to take #1 since “Roma.” More typically, two international action titles — South Korea’s “Space Sweepers” and Spain’s “Black Beach” — are new flavors of the week. Another Netflix staple, comedies with Black headliners, also delivered with “All About the Benjamins,” “Are We There Yet?,” and “Money Train” (a rare pre-20th century film to rank on their charts) in the top 10.

Apple TV

Ranked by number of transactions, with position as of Monday, February 8

1. Let Him Go (Focus) – $5.99

2. 2067 (RLJE) – $0.99

3. Tenet (Warner Bros.) – $5.99

4. Greenland (STX) – $19.99

5. Promising Young Woman (Focus) – $19.99

6. The Big Short (Paramount) – $3.99

7. The War with Grandpa (101) – $5.99

8. Wild Mountain Thyme (Bleecker Street) – $5.99

9. Synchronic (Well Go) – $3.99

10. News of the World (Universal) – $19.99

FandangoNOW

Ranked by revenue accrued not transactions, for February 1-7

1. Greenland (STX) – $19.99

2. Let Him Go (Focus) – $5.99

3. News of the World (Universal) – $19.99

4. Promising Young Woman (Universal) – $19.99

5. Fatale (Lionsgate) – $19.99

6. Freaky (Universal) – $14.99

7. Our Friend (Gravitas Ventures) – $19.99

8. American Skin (Vertical) – $6.99

9. Tenet (Warner Bros.) – $5.99

10. The War With Grandpa (101) – $5.99

Google Play

Ranked by number of transactions, with the daily position as of Monday, February 8

1. Tenet (Warner Bros.) – $5.99

2. The War with Grandpa (101) – $5.99

3. Honest Thief (Briarcliff) – $5.99

4. Greenland (STX) – $19.99

5. Love and Monsters (Paramount) – $4.99

6. Let Him Go (Focus) – $5.99

7. Synchronic (Well Go) – $3.99

8. The Wolf of Wall Street (Paramount) – $3.99

9. News of the World (Universal) – $19.99

10. American Skin (Vertical) – $6.99

Spectrum

Ranked by transactions between January 29 – February 4, all priced $6.99 except where noted

1. News of the World (Universal) – $19.99

2. Honest Thief (Open Road)

3. Tenet (Warner Bros.)

4. Batman: Soul of the Dragon (Warner Bros.)

5. Come Play (Focus)

6. American Skin (Vertical)

7. The War with Grandpa (101)

8. Redemption Day (Paramount)

9. Our Friend (Gravitas Ventures) – $19.99

10. Born to Champion (Lionsgate)

Netflix Movies

Most-viewed, current ranking as of Monday, February 8; originals include both Netflix-produced and -acquired titles

1. Malcolm & Marie (2021 Netflix original)

2. All About the Benjamins (2002 theatrical release)

3. Space Sweepers (2021 South Korean Netflix original)

4. Are We There Yet? (2005 theatrical release)

5. Finding ‘Ohana (2021 Netflix original)

6. Money Talks (1997 theatrical release)

7. The Dig (2021 Netflix original)

8. We Can Be Heroes (2020 Netflix original)

9. Black Beach (2020 Spanish Netflix original)

10. Shutter Island (2010 theatrical release)

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