"Shrek the Third" DVD generates green

By Thomas K. Arnold

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - DreamWorks' "Shrek the Third" topped the national DVD sales and rental charts the week ending November 18, with first-week sales so strong that the Paramount Home Entertainment release is already among the year's top 10 DVD sellers.

The previous week's top seller, Walt Disney Studios' "Ratatouille," hung strong and finished second, while Warner's "Ocean's Thirteen" debuted at No. 3.

The power of the green ogre was such that "Shrek 2" reappeared in the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert top 20, bowing at No. 17, while a "Shrek Trilogy" consisting of all three films bowed even higher, at No. 12.

On Home Media Magazine's video rental chart for the week, "Shrek the Third" handily won the top slot with estimated rental revenue of $11 million. "Ocean's Thirteen" bowed at No 2, with estimated earnings of $7.9 million.

The previous week's top renter, Universal Studios' "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry," slipped to No. 3, generating an additional $7.7 million in its sophomore week, down just 17 percent from the previous week.

On the high-definition disc front, "Shrek the Third" was the hands-down winner on the HD DVD chart, outselling fellow debutant "Ocean's Thirteen" by a 3-to-1 margin. On the Blu-ray chart, "Ratatouille" remained at No. 1, while "Ocean's Thirteen" bowed at No. 2.

"Ocean's Thirteen" is one of the few recent new releases available on both high-definition disc formats; even so, total sales were about 17 percent less than the HD DVD-only version of "Shrek the Third."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter