Company Town Film Profit Report

This 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. Typical industry marketing costs are factored into this profit analysis, as is the relative strength of specific film genres in foreign markets. Results for the weekend of Dec. 24-26:

Both “Any Given Sunday” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” should end up in the profit column. “Galaxy Quest” should approach break-even status. “Man on the Moon” will have to struggle to get into the black.

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Toy Story 2 Buena Vista 4 $80 $250 The World Is Not Enough MGM 11 110 130

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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 Stuart Little Sony 3 103 100 Sleepy Hollow Paramount 12 70 95 The Green Mile Warner Bros./Univ. 5 64 90 Any Given Sunday Warner Bros. 1 60 75 The Talented Paramount/Miramax 2 40 65 Mr. Ripley Deuce Bigalow Buena Vista 9 18 55

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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 Galaxy Quest DreamWorks 7 45 40

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Money Losers*--*

Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Bicentennial Man Buena Vista/Sony 8 95 55 Man on the Moon Universal 6 52 40 Anna and the King Fox 10 70 36

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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 Tuesdays.