Studios hope for DVD bonanza in fourth quarter

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Even though DVD sales have been falling for much of the year and next-generation discs aren't having much of an impact, studio executives are hoping for a fourth-quarter bounty from a parade of high-octane theatrical hits and pricey collectable gift sets.

The box office value of titles coming to DVD between October 1 and December 31 is about 17% above last year's fourth-quarter lineup, according to Adams Media Research numbers.

The fourth-quarter action kicks off October 2 with 20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," with $131.8 million in box office receipts, and the horror hit "1408" ($71.8 million box office), from the Weinstein Co. and Genius Products.

The next Tuesday, October 9, comes Universal Studios' "Evan Almighty" ($100 million) and Sony Pictures' "Surf's Up" ($59 million). On October 16, Paramount/DreamWorks will release the quarter's first monster hit, "Transformers," whose $312 million box office haul makes it the year's No. 3 movie.

Disney's "Meet the Robinsons" ($97.8 million) hits shelves October 23, followed October 30 by Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man 3," the year's No. 1 movie, with a $336.5 million theatrical pedigree.

The action continues in November with Disney's "Ratatouille" ($202.6 million) coming November 6, the same day Universal hits with "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry," which has $118.5 million in theatrical earnings.

The November slate continues November 13 with Paramount/DreamWorks' "Shrek the Third" -- at $321 million, the year's No. 2 movie -- and Warner's "Ocean's Thirteen" ($117.1 million).

20th Century Fox will release the $134.1 million actioner "Live Free or Die Hard" on November 20, a date shared with New Line's "Hairspray" ($116.4 million) and Disney's "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" ($84.5 million).

The action picks up again in December, beginning with Disney's December 4 release of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," the year's No. 4 movie with $309.1 million in theatrical revenue.

Warner strikes a week later with "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," at $289.3 million the year's No. 5 movie, accompanied by a gift set of all five "Harry Potter" films priced at $149.99.

Also hitting stores December 11 is Universal's "The Bourne Ultimatum," which has grossed $216.2 million to date and so far is the year's No. 6 movie.

20th Century Fox announced last week that "The Simpsons Movie," which earned $181.2 million in theaters, will be released December 18 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter