The Verdict Is in — ‘Juror No. 2’ Is #1 on VOD While ‘Red One’ and ‘Conclave’ Get Warp Speed Streaming

For a week without any new hit movie PVOD releases or a particularly interesting Netflix lineup, some interesting news tops our report this week.

Clint Eastwood’s “Juror No. 2” (Warner Bros. Division, in spite of itself) debuts at #1 on PVOD. As noted initially last week, it immediately topped iTunes’ VOD last week and has maintained that position, and is also tops for the full week at Fandango.

That’s a key sign of how public awareness of VOD has grown and how, for many, it’s a main source of recent movies that are otherwise minimally available to audiences in theaters. In the case of “Juror No. 2,” this was because of WB’s decision to keep its release limited (with very little marketing and most awareness created by social media outrage over its handling). But the primacy of VOD as a major source of revenue, and as a priority in terms of release, has been called into question by two very successful recent movies moving to streaming very quickly.

‘Red One’Amazon

Amazon MGM will stream “Red One” on Prime 27 days after its release (grossing $85 million so far in the U.S./Canada, #4 this past weekend with another $7 million). “Conclave” (Focus) will stream on parent company NBC Universal’s Peacock beginning Friday, after a short PVOD exclusive of just over two weeks, 49 days after its theatrical release.

Those are both aggressive moves, particularly by Amazon. Though very quick for studios other than Universal in providing home availability, 27 days isn’t radical (though unusual for a film still doing as well in theaters as “Conclave”). But streaming, in this case meaning around 180 million U.S. Amazon Prime subscribers can watch the movie at no extra cost, is vastly more competitive to theaters than a $19.99 two-day PVOD rental.

And also it is earlier than two other recent high-end Amazon productions. “Air” hit Prime after 38 days, “Saltburn” 36. And at a minimum it will limit PVOD interest (if even initially released; “Air” and “Saltburn” were initially Prime exclusives), with the substantial revenue available there not a priority apparently.

By going on Peacock, “Conclave” will reduce its attractiveness to theaters during the upcoming awards period. Its late October release already suggested a stretch into January was unlikely, so after a better than expected $30 million U.S./Canada gross (with added revenue from PVOD; it was #1 at iTunes last week) it will get substantially more viewings on Peacock.

This year both in release strategy (“Conclave” surprisingly but successful had an initial wide opening) and home availability, key contenders may be taking different routes. “Anora” (Neon) opened platform a week before “Conclave,” and has yet to go on PVOD. Figure that Oscar campaigners for these and other films will try to figure out what impact this has on their chances.

“Juror No. 2” rents for $9.99, not the normal $19.99. Did this reduced pricepoint elevate interest and make its #1 ranking at iTunes more likely (their chart is determined by transactions)? Not insignificantly, Fandango ranks by revenue, which means its #1 placement there came with at least double the rentals for #2 “Elevation” (Vertical). The Eastwood movie, apart from the lower price, also will have depreciated performance with its streaming on Max starting on December 20. Sense a theme? Three key streamers will have top October/November films showing before Christmas.

Christmas looms large on VOD otherwise. Ron Howard’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (Universal) is second at iTunes, third at Fandango (despite renting for $3.99), with three other titles on iTunes top 10. Among recent releases, the second week of “Terrifier 3” (Cineverse) is only fifth at Fandango, not ranked at all at iTunes.

Netflix, the streaming leader, debuted “It Ends with Us” Monday, with a certain #1 ranking possible for some time just ahead. Sony now has a quaint four month window with Netflix to stream its films.

‘That Christmas’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2024Courtesy of Netflix

Two new originals join their top 10. “That Christmas,” written by Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Love Actually), a new British animated holiday film, is #2. #3 “Mary,” described by Netflix as a historic coming of age story, is about the birth of Christ. It was directed by D.J. Caruso, prominent two decades ago for “Salton Sea,” “Disturbia,” “Two for the Money,” and more recently “xXx”. Last week’s #1, “Our Little Secret” with Lindsay Lohan, holds on the fourth place.

Top 10s

iTunes ranks films daily by number of transactions, while Fandango at Home lists by revenue. The listings below are for Monday, December 9 (iTunes) and the week of December 2-8 (Fandango).

The distributors listed are current rights owners. Prices for all titles are for lowest for either rental or download.

iTunes

1. Juror No. 2 (WB) – $9.99

2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal) – $3.99

3. Conclave (Focus) – $19.99

4. The Substance (MUBI) – $5.99

5. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Universal) – $7.99

6. The Grinch (Universal) – $3.99

7. The Wild Robot (Universal) – $19.99

8. Deadpool & Wolverine (Disney) – $5.99

9. Home Alone (Disney) – $3.99

10. It Ends with Us (Sony) – $5.99

Fandango at Home

1. Juror No. 2 (WB) – $9.99

2. Elevation (Vertical) – $19.99

3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal) – $3.99

4. The Wild Robot (Universal) – $19.99

5. Terrifier 3 (Cineverse) – $19.99

6. Dear Santa (Paramount) – $14.99

7. Conclave (Focus) – $19.99

8. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (WB) – $5.99

9. Alien: Romulus (Disney) – $5.99

10. Smile 2 (Paramount) – $19.99

Netflix Movies

These are the most-viewed, current rankings on Netflix’s domestic daily chart on December 9. Originals include both Netflix-produced and acquired titles it initially presents in the U.S. Netflix publishes its own worldwide weekly top 10 on Tuesdays based on time viewed, and usually includes films for which it doesn’t have domestic rights. They have no other U.S.-only weekly chart.

1. Subservience (2024 theatrical release)

2. That Christmas (Netflix British animated original)

3. Mary (Netflix original)

4. Our Little Secret (Netflix original)

5. Little (2019 theatrical release)

6. Run All Night (2015 theatrical release)

7. We’re the Millers (2013 theatrical release)

8. Midway (2019 theatrical release)

9. Faster (2010 theatrical release)

10. The Star (2017 theatrical release)