"Watchmen" dominates video charts

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Blu-ray Discs are showing some real clout.

"Watchmen" shot to the top of the national home video sales and rental charts its first week in stores, with 36% of the total unit sales for the superhero comic adaptation coming from the high-definition edition.

"Coraline" snagged the No. 2 spot on all three charts -- the Nielsen VideoScan DVD and Blu-ray Disc sales charts, and trade publication Home Media Magazine's rental chart. A solid 18% of the cartoon's unit sales came from Blu-ray Discs, a surprisingly strong showing that indicates the format is fast moving out of the early adopter phase and into the mainstream.

The Nicolas Cage drama "Knowing" placed third, again on all three charts, with 17% of its sales in its third week of release coming from Blu-ray.

"Robot Chicken: Star Wars -- Episode II" debuted at No. 6 on the DVD sales chart for the week ending July 26. Three TV DVD season sets also finished in the top 10: "Prison Break: The Final Break" at No. 8, "Psych: The Complete Third Season" at No. 9, and "Pushing Daisies: The Complete Second Season" at No. 10.

(Editing by Dean Goodman at Reuters)

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