Surpassing its own domestic theatrical boxoffice success of $120 million, the combined DVD and VHS releases of Seabiscuit have earned over $135 million in consumer spending and sold 6.5 million units in four weeks to become the best-selling drama on DVD of all time.
Released on December 16, 2003, the title sold 5 million units in its first six days and at that point had already become the year’s best-selling drama.
“This horse has definitely got legs,” stated Craig Kornblau, president, Universal Studios Home Video. “It’s an amazing achievement for a dramatic title and we are thrilled at how well it continues to register with audiences.”
Added Kornblau, “With 17 million new DVD households last year including many ‘late adopters’ comprised of the broader demographic audiences that embraced the film, it was the ideal time to release ‘Seabiscuit’.”
The week before Christmas has traditionally been a prime release window for DVDs, as reflected by Universal Studios Home Video’s past successes with last year’s best-selling Back to the Future Trilogy and Minority Report on Dec. 17, 2002, and the year prior to that, with the release of Jurassic Park III on Dec. 11, 2001, which became the best-selling DVD franchise at the time.
The critically-acclaimed release is currently nominated for two Golden Globe nominations including “Best Picture” and “Best Supporting Actor – Drama” for William H. Macy. In addition, director Gary Ross is nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award and the film has been named one of the year’s best films by the Producer’s Guild of America. Seabiscuit stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Academy Award-winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation), Elizabeth Banks, Macy and Hall of Fame jockey/actor Gary Stevens. Seabiscuit was written and directed by Gary Ross from the best-selling novel of the same name by Laura Hillenbrand.
One of the most popular films of 2003, the Seabiscuit DVD contains extensive bonus features including feature commentary with the film’s writer/director Gary Ross and filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, a racing history of the legendary horse, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, a photo section featuring cast photos taken by actor Jeff Bridges, and a making- of feature, among several others.
The two-disc Seabiscuit gift set includes the above bonus features as well as extensive interviews with the cast, rare archival material, and more behind-the-scenes background including the 1938 match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral and two highly-acclaimed specials, the critically-lauded “The True Story of Seabiscuit” and HBO’s First Look.
