For a rather silly movie that wasn’t expected to do as well as it has, Cocaine Bear has had a fabulous run. Still holding strong at the No 5. Spot in cinemas, and having recently crossed the $50M benchmark, it would typically have also launched to the No 1. spot on VOD lists. With a smart pre-Oscar win price drop, however, it’s been pipped by The Whale. Entertainment lawyer Brandon Blake, from Blake & Wang P.A, drops the news.
A Smart Strategy
Launching on Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu at the typical $19.99 for brand-new releases, Cocaine Bear would usually have taken the week’s top spot. But A24 managed to pull off a very smart coup instead. While The Whale has been available for VOD viewing for a few weeks now, a well-timed drop to $4.99 just before the Oscar ceremony and Brandon Fraser’s Best Actor win ripped the rug out from underneath the bear.
This leaves The Whale in the No 1. position for both Google Play and iTunes. With these sites ranking by transaction, not revenue, they do favor lower-cost films. However, while Cocaine Bear did manage to squeak into No 1. on Vudu, which does rate by revenue, The Whale still came in strong at No. 2 for the platform. Smart thinking indeed on behalf of A24 to capitalize on their victory.
Other Chart Toppers
Unsurprisingly, Everything Everywhere All at Once continues to hold strong on the VOD charts, taking either 4th or 5th place- and this despite still having a hefty $19.99 price tag. Sony’s A Man Called Otto, with a reduction to $5.99, accounted for third place on all three lists. Last, but certainly not least, a well-timed re-release of Chapters 1-3 in the John Wick franchise managed to colonize a cumulative 5th place in anticipation of the weekend release of Chapter 4.
All in all, the Top 5 for this week’s VOD releases shows what a smart and timeous marketing strategy can do for a film. And that’s a lesson everyone can benefit from.
