There are few who would argue that physical disk media, when it comes to movies, is every going to make a comeback. While DVDs and Blu-Rays continue to make studios money, the latest 4K UHD (ultra-high definition) format of discs hasn't taken off the way HD Blu-Ray discs or even standard DVDs did. What was once a mass market item has given way to digital streaming, either via subscription services like Netflix or through rentals on services like Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play and Vudu.
While the digital services duke it out, however, it's interesting to take a look at which physical-disc 4K UHD movies are in fact selling. As it turns out, visually dynamic movies of the sci-fi and action variety do best. After all, they're great ways to show off what the format can do with its super-high resolution and dynamic range.
By averaging out the top-selling 4K UHD discs' category ranks at Amazon for the past couple years, we begin to see a picture of which movies in the format have sold best. By then counting the number of days each title has been a best-seller, we gain a deeper understanding of each tite's staying power, at least relative to the length of time it's been on the market.
With that in mind, the top-20 UHD Blu-Rays sold at Amazon are listed below. Subcribers can see the data set here:
|
Name |
Category Rank (Average) |
Name (Count) |
|---|---|---|
|
Blade Runner 2049 (4K UHD BD) [Blu-ray] |
37.27 |
107 |
|
Justice League (2017) (4K UHD) [Blu-ray] |
35.32 |
96 |
|
Planet Earth II (4K) [Blu-ray] |
60.75 |
72 |
|
Spider-Man: Homecoming [4K Ultra HD] [Blu-ray] |
33.20 |
66 |
|
Star Trek Beyond (4K UHD/2D BD/Digital HD Combo) [Blu-ray] |
59.53 |
64 |
|
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (4K Ultra HD) |
50.42 |
60 |
|
Deadpool [4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray] |
33.15 |
54 |
|
Planet Earth II [4K] |
71.32 |
50 |
|
It (4K UHD BD) [Blu-ray] |
40.92 |
36 |
|
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (3 Discs) (4K + Blu-ray + UltraViolet) |
61.29 |
35 |
|
Black Panther 4K Ultra [Blu-ray] |
23.45 |
31 |
|
Ghostbusters / Ghostbusters II (4K-Mastered + Included Digibook) [Blu-ray] |
60.86 |
29 |
|
Star Trek Beyond Amazon Exclusive Gift Set (4K UHD/3D/Digital HD) [Blu-ray] |
58.28 |
29 |
|
Spider-Man Homecoming (4K + Blu-ray + UltraViolet) |
75.43 |
28 |
|
Wonder Woman (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) |
29.19 |
27 |
|
The Revenant [4K UHD Blu-ray] |
51.60 |
25 |
|
Ghostbusters (2016) - 4K UHD/3D Blu-ray/UV Combo |
60.44 |
25 |
|
Justice League (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) |
68.00 |
23 |
|
Blue Planet II (4K UltraHD) [Blu-ray] |
57.91 |
22 |
|
Tomb Raider (4K UHD/BD) [Blu-ray] |
52.27 |
22 |
Blade Runner 2049 marked the resurrection of a much beloved sci-fi classic in the original 1982 Ridley Scott affair. The new movie, directed by Denis Villeneuve, didn't disappoint eager fans. It didn't do as well in the box office as studio execs had hoped, but the home video release has made up for that a bit, already pulling in more than $21 million in 2018 alone. When it comes to the 4K UHD Blu-Ray, it's on pace to be the best-seller of all time.
So far, Blade Runner 2049 has been a top-ranked disc, hitting the top-100 seller lists 107 times with an average sales rank of 37.27 overall in Amazon's "Video & Movies" category.
2017's Justice League comes in a pretty close second, with an average rank of 35.32 and appearing on best-seller lists 96 times.
Other notables include Planet Earth II, which has been hailed as the most visually impressive 4K disc available, and Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the oldest movie to make this list (it was released in 1977).
