Our four charts each have a different film at #1; another two titles made all four charts. Apple TV has “The Grinch” on top even after weeks of Netflix play. GooglePlay still ranks “The New Mutants” as #1. Premium VOD entry “Let Him Go” leads at Spectrum, which counts by transactions; with a $19.99 price, that’s impressive. Revenue-based FandangoNow leads with “Honest Thief,” one of the top theatrical releases this fall. It has a mid-level PVOD price of $14.99, but as a new release this week it outpaced three more-expensive films.
The standout, however, is Jon Favreau’s 2003 “Elf” starring Will Ferrell. It was #3 among all films in theaters this weekend, and it placed #2 on all of our transactional charts, and #7 at FandangoNow despite only costing $3.99. Mel Gibson as an action Santa clearly hit a chord: “Fatman” again found top interest across the board. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is the leader among the other holiday-themed library titles, as it is also at theaters. Courtesy of STXfilms The week’s first-time charters include two new PVOD entries. The Michael Bay-produced “Songbird” managed fourth place at FandagoNow (again, elevated by its $19.99 price), while “Wild Mountain Thyme” is #8 (also at $19.99). Both show up below the top 10s of per-viewing charts; with good reaction, they could rise higher in the weeks ahead. Netflix has four Christmas titles in its top 10 (including an original animated short), with “Ava” at #1 — another sign of cross-pollination among platforms. It also shows that producers are reaching out for any source that can provide revenue; that VOD play can elevate a title similar to theatrical runs, and that Jessica Chastain has established a niche as an action star. The surprise, though, is “The Prom,” Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of the Broadway musical starring Meryl Streep and James Corden, is not in the top spot. Its much-publicized original film, a possible contender for certain award slots (particularly the Golden Globes), attracts fewer eyeballs than a months-old assassin-for-hire film.
Still, it is doing much better than David Fincher’s “Mank” (which had a token initial chart appearance). Of course, these films have library value, possible later boosts from award nominations, and help attract top filmmakers. But the reality is the Netflix audience goes for broad appeal like holiday offerings such as the “Christmas Chronicles” sequel and “Jingle Jangle.”
Apple TV
Ranked by number of transactions, with position as of Monday, December 14
FandangoNOW
Ranked by revenue accrued not transactions, for December 7 – 13
Spectrum
Ranked by transactions between December 4 – 10; all priced $6.99 except where noted
Google Play
Ranked by number of transactions, with the daily position as of Monday, December 14
Netflix Movies
Most-viewed, current ranking as of Monday, December 14; originals include both Netflix-produced and -acquired titles
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