Surprising DC Comics Movie Is 2021’s Top Home Media Release

A surprising DC Films movie is the top-selling home media release of 2021. We say “surprising” because critics didn’t exactly adore the film, and fans were much more mixed on it than they were on its predecessor. Then again, it’s hard to argue with a famous actor playing an iconic character. That film is Wonder Woman 1984, which opened in December 2020 in theaters and one HBO Max. The Wonder Woman sequel made $166.5 million worldwide at the box office on a $200 million budget. However, in analyzing that total, it’s impossible not to consider the film’s simultaneous streaming release amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless, according to The Numbers, Wonder Woman 1984 sold 1.427 million units in its home media release, bringing in $34.6 million to become the top home media release of the year.

Wonder Woman 1984 occurs in 1984. Princess Diana (Gal Gadot) contends with villains Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and Cheetah (Kristen Wiig). She also struggles emotionally with Steve Trevor’s (Chris Pine) apparent resurrection. Despite Wonder Woman 1984‘s mixed reception, the third Wonder Woman movie with director Patty Jenkins is in the works. Gadot says filming will begin in about a year and a half.

What do you think of Wonder Woman 1984 being the best-selling home media release of 2021? Let us know in the comments. Keep reading to see the top 10 home media releases of 2021.

1. Wonder Woman 1984

• Units sold: 1,427,830
• Consumers spending: $35,459,866

Diana Prince lives quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s — an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. Though she’s come into her full powers, she maintains a low profile by curating ancient artifacts, and only performing heroic acts incognito. But soon, Diana will have to muster all of her strength, wisdom and courage as she finds herself squaring off against Maxwell Lord and the Cheetah, a villainess who possesses superhuman strength and agility. 

Patty Jenkins directed Wonder Woman 1984 from a script she co-wrote with Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham. It stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen.

2. The Croods: A New Age

• Units sold: 1,263,699
• Consumer spending: $27,256,679

Searching for a safer habitat, the prehistoric Crood family discovers an idyllic, walled-in paradise that meets all of its needs. Unfortunately, they must also learn to live with the Bettermans — a family that’s a couple of steps above the Croods on the evolutionary ladder. As tensions between the new neighbors start to rise, a new threat soon propels both clans on an epic adventure that forces them to embrace their differences, draw strength from one another, and survive together.

The Croods: A New Age is directed by Joel Crawford from a screenplay by Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Paul Fisher, and Bob Logan. The film’s voice cast includes Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, Cloris Leachman, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann, and Kelly Marie Tran.

3. Raya and the Last Dragon

• Units sold: 910,752
• Consumer spending: $21,242,350

Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. However, when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned, and it’s up to a lone warrior to track down the last dragon and stop the Druun for good.

Raya and the Last Dragon is directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada. The film’s voice cast includes Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izaac Wang, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Benedict Wong, Sandra Oh, Thalia Tran, Lucille Soong, and Alan Tudyk.

4. Godzilla vs. Kong

• Units sold: 903,592
• Consumer spending: $26,217,114

Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home. Along for the ride is Jia, an orphaned girl who has a unique and powerful bond with the mighty beast. However, they soon find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla as he cuts a swath of destruction across the globe. The initial confrontation between the two titans — instigated by unseen forces — is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the planet.

Godzilla vs. Kong is directed by Adam Wingard. The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Lance Reddick, Kyle Chandler, and Demián Bichir.

5. Monster Hunter

• Units sold: 574,994
• Consumer spending: $12,976,203

Behind our world, there is another — a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When Lt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported from our world to the new one, the unflappable lieutenant receives the shock of her life. In a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers and unstoppable, terrifying attacks, Artemis teams up with a mysterious hunter who has found a way to fight back.

Based on Capcom’s video game series, Monster Hunter is directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. It stars Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, Tip “T. I.” Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Josh Helman, Jin Au-Yeung and Ron Perlman.

6. News of the World

• Units Sold: 565,139
• Consumer spending: $12,734,055

Five years after the end of the Civil War, Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd crosses paths with a 10-year-old girl taken by the Kiowa people. Forced to return to her aunt and uncle, Kidd agrees to escort the child across the harsh and unforgiving plains of Texas. However, the long journey soon turns into a fight for survival as the traveling companions encounter danger at every turn — both human and natural.

News of the World is directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel. The film is based on Paulette Jiles’s 2016 novel of the same name.

7. Soul

• Units sold: 547,988
• Consumer spending: $11,483,472

Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn’t quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz — and he’s good. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.

Pete Docter wrote and directed Soul. Its voice cast includes Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, and Angela Bassett. 

8. Harry Potter: The Complete Collection Years 1-7

• Units sold: 542,311
• Consumer spending: $23,251,185 
  

The Magic Is All Here in the Complete 8-Film Collection. The collection includes:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

9. John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum

• Units sold: 500,239
• Consumer spending: $9,109,733 
  

After gunning down a member of the High Table — the shadowy international assassin’s guild — legendary hit man John Wick finds himself stripped of the organization’s protective services. Now stuck with a $14 million bounty on his head, Wick must fight his way through the streets of New York as he becomes the target of the world’s most ruthless killers.

John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum is directed by Chad Stahelski from a screenplay written by Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams, based on a story by Kolstad. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston, and Ian McShane.

10. Tenet

• Units sold: 494,698
• Consumer spending: $12,814,346 
  

A secret agent embarks on a dangerous, time-bending mission to prevent the start of World War III.

Tenet is directed by Christopher Nolan and stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, and Kenneth Branagh.