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 release. Typical industry marketing costs are factored into this profit analysis. Results for the weekend of Aug. 18-20:

Highlights:

* “The Cell” is another late summer profit maker for New Line. “The Original Kings of Comedy” will generate a substantial profit for Paramount, and “Godzilla 2000” will reap a healthy return based on its insignificant acquisition cost.

$$ Mega-Moneymakers ($50 million or more in profit)

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions X-Men Fox 12 $75 $155

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$ Moneymakers ($10 million or more in profit)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions What Lies Beneath DreamWorks/Fox 5 $100 The Nutty Professor II Universal 6 84 Coyote Ugly Buena Vista 9 45 The Cell New Line 1 33 The Original Kings.... Paramount 2 3 Godzilla 2000 Sony 11 1

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions What Lies Beneath $140 The Nutty Professor II 125 Coyote Ugly 58 The Cell 45 The Original Kings.... 30 Godzilla 2000 10

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?Tossups ($5 million in profit or loss)

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Hollow Man Sony 7 $95 $85 Space Cowboys Warner Bros. 3 65 78

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Losers (more than $5 million in loss)

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions The Replacements Warner Bros. 4 $50 $38 Autumn in New York MGM 8 40 32 Bless the Child Paramount 10 40 26

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Notes: Cost estimates are for production only. Only half of box-office receipts come back to the studio.

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