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 (about 55% of gross) represent only 20% of a film’s final revenue, which includes overseas theatrical, video and TV income. Theindustry 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 Oct. 2-4:

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

*--*

Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Something About Mary 20th Century Fox 7 $25 Saving Private Ryan DreamWorks SKG 9 65 Rush Hour New Line 3 34

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Something About Mary $170 Saving Private Ryan 190 Rush Hour 115

*--*

$ Minor Moneymakers

*--*

Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Blade New Line 12 45 70 Urban Legend Sony 6 14 34 Antz DreamWorks SKG 1 42 60

*--*

? Tossups

*--*

Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Rounders Miramax 11 22 24 A Night at the Roxbury Paramount 4 17 27 Simon Birch Disney 10 21 20

*--*

Money Losers

*--*

Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions One True Thing Universal 8 33 24 Ronin MGM 5 60 40 What Dreams May Come PolyGram 2 85 50

*--*

Notes: PolyGram’s $85-million “What Dreams May Come” will have to do far better in foreign markets than its domestic performance if it hopes to turn a profit. Because of its potential overseas and on video, “Antz” should bring DreamWorks some profit if the company’s $42-million official production figure is to be believed. MGM/UA’s “Ronin” looks unlikely to make it out of the red unless the combined draw of Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno kicks it into overdrive overseas. Sony’s “Urban Legend” will hook a few dollars by the end of its cycle. And Paramount’s “A Night at the Roxbury” should break even--but without the benefit of foreign sales is unlikely to be very profitable.

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.