Big DVD/Blu-Ray and Digital sales for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

March 11, 2014 – Lionsgate, a leading global entertainment company, announced today that the global blockbuster Hunger Games franchise continued to gain momentum as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire sold an estimated 3.9 million DVD and Blu-ray units in its first weekend of North American release and had the biggest digital launch in the company’s history with opening weekend digital sales increasing nearly 40% over the first Hunger Games film.

The record digital performance was driven by #1 openings on all major digital platforms, including iTunes, Xbox, Amazon, Vudu, Comcast Xfinity, Verizon FiOS, Google Play and Sony Entertainment Network, among others.  Higher-margin Blu-Ray titles surged to 50% of all packaged media sales of Catching Fire in its opening weekend compared to 35% of packaged media sales of the first Hunger Games film.

“This is a monster opening and a tremendous result for the second film in a franchise, underscoring the enormous momentum of The Hunger Games films,” said Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate President and General Manager of Home Entertainment Sales & Distribution. “Opening weekend packaged media sales of Catching Fire were comparable to the first Hunger Games title released nearly two years ago while digital sales grew by nearly 40%.  With strong increases in digital revenue and Blu-Ray accounting for 50% of packaged media sales, the opening weekend performance is driving significant margin growth and is a testament to the strength of the franchise.”

“We opened Catching Fire on nearly 20 digital platforms, including six that have launched since the home entertainment debut of the first Hunger Games film in 2012, and it was number one on almost all of them,” said Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television & Digital Distribution Jim Packer.  “The broad demographic appeal of The Hunger Games franchise uniquely positions it for this surge in digital ownership.”

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has grossed $424 million at the North American theatrical box office, the 10th highest-grossing domestic release of all time, marking the first time that the first two installments of a franchise grossed more than $400 million at the domestic box office.  The next two Hunger Games films, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2, will be released on November 21, 2014 and November 20, 2015, respectively.