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 Oct. 8-10:

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“Random Hearts” needed to appeal to a wider audience to make back its costs.

“Superstar” will squeak into the black.

“Double Jeopardy” becomes the first major profit generator of the fall season.

$$ 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 Sixth Sense Buena Vista 6 $40 $260 Double Jeopardy Paramount 1 45 100

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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 Stigmata MGM 12 $32 $50 American Beauty DreamWorks SKG 4 15 55 Blue Streak Sony 7 36 65

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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 Three Kings Warner Bros. 3 $48 55 Drive Me Crazy Fox 8 8 18 Superstar Paramount 5 14 24

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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 For Love of the Game Universal 10 $50 36 Mystery, Alaska Buena Vista 11 28 8 Elmo in Grouchland Sony 9 17 9 Random Hearts Sony 2 64

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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.