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 Aug. 13-15:

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions American Pie Universal 12 $11 $95 Runaway Bride Paramount 4 70 130 The Blair Witch Project Artisan 3 1 135 The Sixth Sense Buena Vista 1 40 160

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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 Inspector Gadget Buena Vista 7 $75 $95 Bowfinger Universal 2 55 70 Thomas Crown Affair MGM 5 48 60

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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 The Haunting DreamWorks 11 $80 $90 Deep Blue Sea Warner Bros. 6 82 80

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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 Mystery Men Universal 8 $68 $30 The Iron Giant Warner Bros. 10 48 22 Detroit Rock City New Line 13 16 5 Brokedown Palace Fox 9 23 10

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*WB’s official budget. Other reports go as high as $180 million.

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.