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 Dec. 11-13:

The latest “Star Trek” should travel to the same profit neighborhood as its predecessors. Unless Christmas week business picks up, the relatively expensive family film “Jack Frost” won’t see a profit.

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions $$ Mega-Moneymakers The Waterboy Disney 6 $23 Rugrats Paramount 5 25 A Bug’s Life Disney 2 85 $Minor Moneymakers I Still Know What You ... Sony 12 25 Enemy of the State Disney 4 85 Star Trek: Insurrection Paramount 1 62 ?Tossups Very Bad Things PolyGram 11 9 Elizabeth Gramercy 10 24 Psycho* Universal 7 21 ? Money Losers Jack Frost Warner Bros. 3 40 Babe: Pig in the City Universal 9 85 Meet Joe Black Universal 8 90

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions $$ Mega-Moneymakers The Waterboy $160 Rugrats 100 A Bug’s Life 150 $Minor Moneymakers I Still Know What You ... 40 Enemy of the State 100 Star Trek: Insurrection 75 ?Tossups Very Bad Things 10 Elizabeth 22 Psycho* 22 ? Money Losers Jack Frost 30 Babe: Pig in the City 20 Meet Joe Black 50

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*”Psycho” moves up a category based on a revised estimate of production cost.

Notes: Cost estimates are for production only. Only half of box-office receipts come back to the studio. NA = not applicable.

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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.