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 represent only 20% of a film’s final revenue, which includes income from video, TV and overseas theatrical. 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 30-Aug. 1:

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions The Phantom Menace Fox 9 $115 Tarzan Buena Vista 10 150 Big Daddy Sony 8 32 American Pie Universal 6 11 Runaway Bride Paramount/Buena Vista 1 70 The Blair Witch Project Artisan 2 1

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions The Phantom Menace $420 Tarzan 175 Big Daddy 160 American Pie 95 Runaway Bride 130 The Blair Witch Project 110

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$ Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions The Wood Paramount 12 $6 $25 Inspector Gadget Buena Vista 5 75 85

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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 Eyes Wide Shut Warner Bros. 7 $65 $60 The Haunting DreamWorks 4 80 90 Lake Placid Fox 11 27 30 Deep Blue Sea Warner Bros. 3 82 80

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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.