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, television 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 Sept. 24-26:

*

Paramount’s “Double Jeopardy” will be a solid moneymaker; “Mumford” and “Jakob the Liar” are writeoffs.

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

*--*

Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Runaway Bride Paramount 10 $70 $150 The Sixth Sense Buena Vista 3 40 250 The Phantom Menace Fox 12 125 430

*--*

$ Moneymakers

*--*

Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions The Thomas Crown Affair MGM 11 48 Stigmata MGM 6 32 American Beauty DreamWorks SKG 5 15 Blue Streak Sony 2 36 Double Jeopardy Paramount 1 45

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions The Thomas Crown Affair 68 Stigmata 45 American Beauty 30 Blue Streak 65 Double Jeopardy 75

*--*

? Tossups

*--*

Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Stir of Echoes Artisan 1 45 75

*--*

Money Losers

*--*

Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Mumford Buena Vista 9 28 4 Jakob the Liar Sony 8 15 5 For Love of the Game Universal 4 50 36

*--*

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.