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 Aug. 14-16:

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Something About Mary 20th Century Fox 4 $25 Armageddon Buena Vista 10 150 Saving Private Ryan DreamWorks 1 65

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Something About Mary $120 Armageddon 195 Saving Private Ryan 190

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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 Parent Trap Buena Vista 8 $55 $65 Ever After 20th Century Fox 7 24 50 Halloween Miramax 6 17 60

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? Tossups

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions The Negotiator Warner Bros. 7 $45 How Stella Got Her... 20th Century Fox 2 25 The Mask of Zorro Sony 11 73 Air Bud 2 Miramax 13 4

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions The Negotiator $40 How Stella Got Her... 42 The Mask of Zorro 88 Air Bud 2 8

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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 Snake Eyes Paramount/Disney 5 $70 $50 The Avengers Warner Bros. 3 65 32

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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.