Company Town : 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 release. 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. 27-29:

Of the six releases for this summer’s penultimate weekend, only the demographically targeted urban drama “In Too Deep” is expected to recoup its costs.

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Runaway Bride Paramount 3 $70 $145 The Blair Witch Project Artisan 8 1 140 The Sixth Sense Buena Vista 1 40 210

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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 Thomas Crown Affair MGM 6 $48 $60 Inspector Gadget Buena Vista 12 75 95

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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 In Too Deep Miramax $7 7 $12 Bowfinger Universal 4 55 62

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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 Mickey Blue Eyes Warner Bros. 5 $36 $30 13th Warrior Buena Vista 2 85 35 The Muse USA 10 15 10 Dog of Flanders Warner Bros. 21 7 3 Dudley Do-Right Universal 11 22 9 The Astronaut’s Wife New Line 9 34 10

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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.