"Pirates" sells 5 million DVDs in first day

Holiday shoppers in North America snapped up nearly 5 million DVD units of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" in the hit title's first day in release, Walt Disney Co. said on Wednesday.

The strong start for "Dead Man's Chest," which was released as a single DVD and a two-disc box set on Tuesday, means that Disney's Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment could have the three best-selling DVDs for 2006, Disney said.

"Dead Man's Chest" also is on track to unseat the previous live-action record holder for DVD sales, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," which sold about 16 million DVD and 2 million home video units, a Disney spokesman said.