Avatar Blu-Ray Sets Record For First-Day Sales

Does the Blu-Ray-buying public at large care at all about special features? Record-breaking first-day sales for James Cameron's Avatar would indicate that no, they don't. Despite the fact that the recent release of Avatar contains no special features to speak of, the disc has destroyed the previous record-holder for first-day Blu-Ray sales: The Dark Knight.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Avatar Blu-Ray disc has already sold a staggering 1.5 million in its first day of release alone. For comparison, The Dark Knight sold 600,000 Blu-Ray copies on its first day. On average, retailers have sold out 60% of their Blu-Ray inventory already, and the movie looks on track to become the top-selling title of the year.

Fox is hoping that Avatar will eventually surpass The Twilight Saga: New Moon as this year's best-selling disc so far. To date, New Moon has sold 6.5 million copies on DVD and Blu-Ray. I wish them success in this endeavor just because on principle, I don't think that Avatar should lose any battles to The Twilight Saga.

Fox plans to release a special edition of Avatar in November ("We could not have had the special material we wanted to have but will have it for the special edition," said Avatar producer Landau), while a 3D version will be available in 2011. At this point, selling a 3D version would probably be self-defeating, as most people don't yet have 3D-equipped Blu-Ray players or televisions yet. But will enough people have them by early 2011, when the disc comes out, to make the release a success? I'm doubtful, but what do you guys think?

As for me, I'll be skipping this release, although unlike Adam, I might end up checking it out on home video some day...