With movie theaters out of commission until further notice, rentals of digital entertainment grew to nearly $600 million in March. That’s nearly a 48 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG), which is tracking consumer behavior.
DEG’s first-quarter report for 2020 only highlights the financial trends from January through March. Many stay-at-home orders occurred during the month of Marth.
Here are the following highlights:
- Consumer spending on subscription streaming increased 27 percent in the quarter from the year-earlier period.
- Overall Video on Demand spending rose almost 20 percent in the quarter.
- The 15 percent increase in U.S. home entertainment spending in the quarter came amid a nearly 5 percent drop in box-office performance for the films released in the period.
- For the full quarter, total digital spending, including transactional rentals and purchases and subscription streaming, was up 24 percent over the first three months of 2019.
These are astonishing numbers, particularly that the stay-at-home orders started in March for the quarter. The next DEG quarterly report will paint a different picture.
So what’s everyone watching?
DEG released “Watched at Home Top 20” list as of May 7th.
- Bad Boys For Life (Sony)
- Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount)
- Star Wars: Episode IX – Rise of Skywalker (Disney)
- Jumanji: The Next Level (Sony)
- The Gentleman (STX/Universal)
- Dolittle (Universal)
- The Call of the Wild (Disney)
- 1917 (Universal)
- Little Women (Sony)
- Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn (Warner Brothers)
- Underwater (Fox)
- Like a Boss (Paramount)
- Bloodshot (Sony)
- The Way Back (Warner Brothers)
- Ip Man 4: The Finale (Well Go USA)
- Knives Out (Lionsgate)
- Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge (Warner Brothers)
- Spies in Disguise (Fox)
- Frozen II (Disney)
- Fantasy Island (Sony)
Since the pandemic crisis, I’ve only checked Star Wars (only the last 30 minutes) and Frozen II. I’ve been catching up on television shows. I’ve seen all the films before the stay-at-home orders, but it’s interesting to note what’s trending at home.
What have you been watching?
ALSO READ: Please Help Me Figure Out How to Watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars
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