One is “Spider-Man: Far from Home” ($3.99), #1 at Google Play and second at iTunes. And “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” helped by a price reduction to $5.99, leads at iTunes and Vudu (the lower price started December 17; Google Play tends to lag a few days in reporting). And not only 2019’s “Far from Home” but also 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (also $3.99) made two charts. And Google Play, in a move that will confuse many, is accepting pre-buys for “No Way Home” for an unspecified date. Those presales rank the film at #6 on Google’s chart. Their biggest rival this week was Universal, continuing to fly high with both “The Grinch” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” both $3.99 and also placing among all three charts. “The Grinch” is actually #2 at Google Play. Their appearance — a year after similarly doing great at Netflix exclusively (the streamer no longer has rights) and before their certain Peacock library transition — reinforces, just like “Spider-Man,” how franchises and sequels are what the public wants most.
“No Time to Die” (United Artists/$19.99) and “Free Guy” (Disney/$5.99) continue their lengthy placement on the top-10 charts. “The Last Duel” (Disney/$5.99, price reduced this week) and “Elf” (Warner Bros./$3.99) had two listings. New this week, on one chart each and all at $19.99, are “The French Dispatch” (Searchlight), “Clifford the Big Red Dog” (Paramount), “Halloween Kills – Extended Edition” (Universal), and “Ron’s Gone Wrong” (Disney). The biggest titles awaiting PVOD availability are “House of Gucci” (United Artists), “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (Sony), and “Encanto” (Disney), with tight competition for theater screens likely limiting their further life (“Encanto” debuts on Disney+ this Friday). Give Sandra Bullock her due. “The Unforgivable” is the first two-week #1 Netflix title since the early October debut of Antoine Fuqua’s “The Guilty” with Jake Gyllenhaal. And at present, the redemption drama faces elevated competition with new top titles (including many awards contenders) released every week. Four holiday-related titles also appear in the top 10, led by “A California Christmas: City Lights” at #2, a sequel in its burgeoning rom-com franchise starring Lauren and Josh Swickard (Lauren again wrote). Apple TV/iTunes and Google Play rank films daily by number of transactions, irrespective of revenue accrued. These are the listings for December 20. Distributors listed are current rights owners. ©Searchlight Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
iTunes
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Sony) – $5.99
Spider-Man: Far from Home (Sony) – $3.99
No Time to Die (United Artists) – $19.99
The Grinch (Universal) – $3.99
The Last Duel (Disney) – $5.99
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal) – $3.99
The French Dispatch (Searchlight) – $19.99
Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony) – $3.99
Free Guy (Disney) – $5.99
Elf (Warner Bros.) – $3.99
Google Play
- Spider-Man: Far from Home (Sony) – $3.99
- The Grinch (Universal) – $3.99
- Free Guy (Disney) – $5.99
- No Time to Die (United Artists) – $19.99
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal) – $3.99
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony) – $19.99 (pre-buys)
- Venom: Let There Will Be Carnage (Sony) – $5.99
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony) – $3.99
- The Hating Game (Vertical) – $6.99
- Elf (Warner Bros.) – $3.99
Vudu
Vudu ranks by revenue, not transactions, which elevates Premium VOD titles. This list covers December 13–19
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Sony) – $5.99
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (Paramount) – $19.99
- Halloween Kills (extended cut) (Universal) – $19.99
- No Time to Die (United Artists) – $19.99
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal) – $3.99
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Disney) – $19.99
- Ron’s Gone Wrong (Disney) – $19.99
- The Grinch (Universal) – $3.99
- The Last Duel (Disney) – $19.99
- Free Guy (Disney) – $5.99
Netflix Movies
Most viewed, current ranking as of Monday, December 20; originals include both Netflix-produced and -acquired titles they initially presented in the U.S.
- The Unforgivable (2021 Netflix original)
- A California Christmas: City Lights (2021 Netflix original)
- Back to the Outback (2021 Netflix animated original)
- The Shack (2017 theatrical release)
- The Christmas Chronicles (2018 Netflix original)
- Red Notice (2021 Netflix original)
- The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020 Netflix original)
- A Boy Called Christmas (2021 Netflix original)
- Law Abiding Citizen (2009 theatrical release)
- 137 Shots (2021 Netflix original documentary) Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
