Company Town Film Profit Report

The 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. returns (approximately 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 July 31-Aug. 2:

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Dr. Dolittle 20th Century Fox 9 $68 Something About Mary 20th Century Fox 3 25 Armageddon Buena Vista 8 150

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Dr. Dolittle $138 Something About Mary 100 Armageddon 185

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$ Minor Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions The Mask of Zorro Sony 6 $73 $92 Saving Pirvate Ryan DreamWorks SKG 1 65 150 Parent Trap Buena Vista 2 55 65

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? Tossups

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Lethal Weapon 4 Warner Bros. 7 $135 $130 The negotiator Warner Bros. 4 45 40 Ever After 20th Century Fox 5 24 36 Disturbing Behavior MGM 12 15 18

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? Money Losers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Mafia Buena Vista 10 $30 $21 BASEketball Universal 11 25 10

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

Researched by RICHARD NATALE

If you have information or comments about the chart, call (213) 237-2001 or send e-mail to company.town@latimes.com. Send faxes to (213) 237-7837.

For weekly box-office listings, see Calendar section on Tuesdays.