Company Town Film Profit Report

L.A. Times Archives

Feb. 15, 2000 12 AM PT

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 are the relative strengths of specific film genres in foreign markets. Results for the weekend of Feb. 11-13:

Fox’s “The Beach” will creak into the black mostly from foreign receipts, which look to be stronger than the moderate domestic performance. Disney’s low-budget animated “The Tigger Movie” should do well enough in theatrical release to generate strong home video and merchandising revenue. Paramount’s release of the Nickelodeon family film “Snow Day” will be profitable from theatrical and generate healthy ancillary sales.

For the record:

12:00 a.m. Feb. 17, 2000 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday February 17, 2000 Home Edition Business Part C Page 2 Financial Desk 1 inches; 19 words Type of Material: Correction
Film cost--A table in Tuesday’s Business section misstated the estimated cost of Buena Vista’s movie “Fantasia 2000.” It is $80 million.

$$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 Stuart Little Sony 8 $103 $140 The Green Mile Warner Bros./Univ. 6 64 130 Scream 3 Miramax 1 40 90 The Talented Para./Miramax 12 40 82 Mr. Ripley Next Friday New Line 7 10 55

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$Moneymakers ($10 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 Fantasia 2000 Buena Vista 11 $480 $85 Galaxy Quest DreamWorks SKG 9 55 70 Snow Day Paramount 3 13 48 The Tigger Movie Buena Vista 4 15 40

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?Tossups ($5 million in profit or loss)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions The Hurricane Univ./Buena Vista 5 $38 The Beach Fox 2 50 Eye of the Beholder Destination 10 16

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions The Hurricane $52 The Beach 45 Eye of the Beholder 18

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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.

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