November 11, 2004

UK opening weekend Box Office records smashed

SanAndreas.jpgOkay, don't waste time trying to think what movie it is. Don't struggle to think what's showing in the UK just now and what it could be. It's a not a movie.

"...sold an estimated 677,000 copies on its first two days on sale, according to Chart-Track figures extrapolated from its 6500-strong retail panel...commanding an average sale price of around �35.45, Chart-Track has placed the total revenue generated by retailers at just over �24 million, beating the UK's biggest ever movie box office opening weekend of �23.88 million, set by Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban earlier this year."

According to Eurogamer, with figures from Sky is falling, that Box Office beater is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

It has even beaten Star Wars Trilogy on DVD:

"...with less people buying the lower-priced DVD box set of the Star Wars Trilogy - in itself a record sell-through for a DVD with around 550,000 sales in its opening weekend..."

Staggering to say the least, and it ties in nicely with a previous stories about the blurring of video games and cinema: Silent Hill The Movie - Games to Screen and Actors and computer games.

The next target, which isn't looking so easily obtainable, is the worldwide all-time record. Currently held by Titanic for �69 million. Good luck guys, with such an excellent, and truly cinematic game such as this the hard work is paying off.


Posted by at November 11, 2004 08:30 AM


Comments

Impressive but it still pales in comaparison to what Halo 2 is doing in North America. $125 million (USD) in sales in just 24 hours.

Posted by: Ben at November 11, 2004 02:33 PM

North America has 280 million people in the US and 20 million people (?) Canada and a very entrenched video gaming community. The UK has no where near that population so they actually have the more impressive numbers especially since the Grand Theft Auto San Andreas centers around gun culture and carjacking in the 'hood.

Posted by: Tsalagi Scottish Lass at November 11, 2004 07:27 PM