I didn’t see this coming. Apparently opening week video sales of Passion of the Christ out did the same performance of The Lord of the Rings. Gibson’s film just seems to keep surprising us. Reuters reports the following:
“The Passion of the Christ” sold nearly 9 million combined DVD and VHS units during its first week in release on home video, according to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment executives. That marks the biggest debut week ever for a live-action title, topping New Line’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. “Passion” took the top slot at the rental counter during the same frame, generating an estimated $9.45 million in gross rental revenue, according to Video Store magazine. The film sold more than 4.1 million combined DVD and VHS units in its first day of release, according to Fox, the video’s distributor.