Netflix Spent $200 Million on The Gray Man and Got 8 Days at #1
After eight days, it’s over. That’s how long the Russo Bros.’ “The Gray Man” topped Netflix’s domestic chart for most-watched movies — only to be replaced by the new release of another Netflix Original, “Purple Hearts,” a low-budget military-immigrant romance starring singer-actress Sofia Carson (“Descendants”) and Nicholas Galitzine (“Cinderella”). “The Gray Man” didn’t disappear — it dropped to #2 — but that can’t have been the Netflix expectation for a $200 million action film from the directors of “Avengers: Endgame,” the biggest theatrical release in the last six years, starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas.
The streamer reported that “Gray” amassed over 88 million hours in worldwide viewing its initial weekend, the fifth highest for an original film. That’s 60 million fewer hours than last year’s “Red Notice” starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. “Red” spent 12 days as #1, including two full weekends, but more important is the staying power of an expensive original. “Red” placed in the top 10 over 11 weeks; “Gray” will need to stick around until mid-October to accomplish the same, with total hours viewed as the most important metric.
New this week on the Netflix chart are Argentine mystery “Recurrence” at #4 and documentary “Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl” at #7.
“Sing 2”
Universal
“Sing 2,” which spent more days at a Netflix #1 than “Gray,” is still #3, highest among non-original titles. Its staying power is impressive: It’s spent five weeks in the top three, and that’s after five weeks on VOD and $162 million domestic in theaters. It’s a performance that reinforces the argument that extensive theater play enhances performance on a streamer.
VOD remained mostly static this week without recent theatrical releases for the inventory. “Jurassic World: Dominion” (Universal/$19.99) remains #1 on Vudu (ranking by revenue) as well as on iTunes and Google Play (both ranking by activity). That’s the third week for its across-the-board lead, something last accomplished by “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (Sony) when it became a unanimous #1 for five weeks.
Universal, including its Focus unit, continues strong with 11 of the 30 slots on the charts. Their standard early release of titles after either the third or fifth weekend of theatrical play (depending on opening weekend gross) continues to show strong results. “The Black Phone,” also $19.99, is still #2 at iTunes and Google Play.
Apart from the two Universal titles, “Uncharted” (Sony/$5.99) and “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” (Warner Bros./$5.99) placed on all three charts.
The sole new entry this week is “Green Lantern: Beware My Power” (Warner Bros./$19.99). The original made-for-home viewing from DC Comics is the fifth title in its series of animated Tomorrowverse titles, which began with “Superman: Man of Tomorrow” in 2020. Warners released it for home viewing a few days after it debuted “DC League of Super-Pets” in theaters, where it opened to #1 but a below expectations at $23 million.
The rest of August should be more lively for VOD, with expected availability for “Thor: Love and Thunder” and “Lightyear” (Disney) as well as “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and “Nope” (Universal). Still TBD are “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount) and “Elvis” (Warner Bros.); their strongthearcial holds may mean home viewers will continue to wait.
iTunes and Google Play rank films daily by number of transactions. These are the listings for August 1. Distributors listed are current rights owners.
iTunes
1. Jurassic World: Dominion (Universal) – $19.99
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) – $4.99
3. Uncharted (Sony) – $5.99
4. The Black Phone (Universal) – $19.99
5. Downton Abbey: The New Era (Focus) – $5.99
6. The Bad Guys (Universal) – $5.99
7. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) – $5.99
8. The Northman (Focus) – $5.99
9. Paradise Highway (Lionsgate) – $6.99
10. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (Warner Brothers) – $5.99
Google Play
1. Jurassic World: Dominion (Universal) – $19.99
2. The Black Phone (Universal) – $19.99
3. Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) – $4.99
4. Uncharted (Sony) – $5.99
5. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) – $5.99
6. Morbius (Sony) – $5.99
7. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Paramount) – $4.99
8. Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony) – $5.99
9. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (Warner Bros.) – $5.99
10. The Lost City (Paramount) – $4.99
Vudu
Vudu ranks by revenue, not transactions, which elevates Premium VOD titles. This list covers July 25-31
1. Jurassic World: Dominion (Universal) – $19.99
2. The Black Phone (Universal) – $19.99
3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (Warner Bros.) – $5.99
4. The Bad Guys (Universal) – $5.99
5. Justice League (244 min. version) (Warner Bros.) – $14.99
6. Doctor Strange in the Multi-Verse of Madness (Disney) – $5.99
7. Uncharted (Sony) – $5.99
8. Green Lantern: Beware My Power (Warner Bros.) – $19.99
9. Paradise Highway (Lionsgate) – $6.99
10. The Northman (Focus) – $5.99
Netflix Movies
Most viewed, current ranking on Netflix’s daily chart on Monday, August 1. Originals include both Netflix-produced and -acquired titles it initially presents in the U.S. Netflix publishes its own weekly top 10 on Tuesdays based on time viewed.
1. Purple Hearts (2022 Netflix original)
2. The Gray Man (2022 Netflix original)
3. Sing 2 (2021 theatrical release)
4. Recurrence (2022 Argentine Netflix original)
5. The Wretched (2019 theatrical release)
6. The Sea Beast (2022 Netflix animated original)
7. Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl (2022 British Netflix documentary original)
8. The Man from Toronto (2022 Netflix original)
9. 12 Strong (2018 theatrical release)
10. Persuasion (2022 British Netflix original)
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