Company Town Film Profit Report

This report is based on projections of total U.S. box-office gross from a consensus of industry sources and studio financial models. The U.S. and Canadian returns (about 55% of gross) represent only 20% of a film’s final revenue, which includes overseas theatrical, video and TV income. The industry marketing average of $30 million per film is factored into these profit equations, as is the relative strength of specific film genres in foreign markets. Results for the weekend of Aug. 17-19:

Highlights:

* “Rat Race,” in which Paramount put up less than half the budget for U.S. rights, should make money for the studio, though its overseas chances are somewhat less certain.

* “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” is Universal’s one misstep for the summer. Miramax shared part of the production costs.

* Morgan Creek’s “American Outlaws,” released through Warner Bros., is unlikely to make it into the black.

$$ Mega-Moneymakers ($50 million or more in profit)

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Rush Hour 2 New Line 2 $90 $220 Planet of the Apes Fox 7 100 180 Jurassic Park III Universal 9 92 175 American Pie 2 Universal 1 30 135 The Princess Diaries Disney 5 30 95 America’s Sweethearts Sony 8 48 92 Legally Blonde MGM 10 18 88

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$ Moneymakers ($10 million or more in profit)

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions The Others Dimension 4 17 55

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? Toss-ups ($5 million or more in profit/loss)

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Rat Race Paramount 3 $48 $40

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Losers (less than $5 million)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Universal 6 $57 Osmosis Jones Warner Bros. 11 75 American Outlaws Warner Bros. 8 35

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Captain Corelli’s Mandolin $25 Osmosis Jones 15 American Outlaws 14

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Notes: Cost estimates are for production only. Only half of box-office receipts come back to the studio.

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