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 Memorial Day weekend, May 28-31:

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions The Matrix Warner Bros. 6 $62 $160 Phantom Menace Fox 1 115 350 Notting Hill Universal 2 42 110

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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 Never Been Kissed Fox 8 22 52 The Mummy Universal 3 78 140 Entrapment Fox 4 66 78

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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 Life Universal 12 55 62 Election Paramount 11 9 13 Black Mask Artisan 9 8 12 Midsummer Night’s ... Searchlight 7 15 15 The Love Letter DreamWorks 10 8 8

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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 The Thirteenth Floor Sony 5 18 9

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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.