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. 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. 18-21:

The Presidents Day weekend proved to be bountiful for all the debuting films. The relatively low-budget “Whole Nine Yards,” “Boiler Room” and “Pitch Black” will cross easily into profits. The slightly more expensive “Hanging Up” should at least break even. Academy Award business has pushed “Cider House Rules” into the moneymaker category. $$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 The Green Mile Warner Bros./Univ. 11 $64 $138 American Beauty DreamWorks SKG 9 15 100 Scream 3 Miramax 6 40 90 Snow Day Paramount 3 13 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 The Cider House Rules Miramax 10 24 30 The Whole Nine Yards Warner Bros. 1 24 42 Pitch Black USA 4 23 32 The Tigger Movie Buena Vista 5 15 40 Boiler Room New Line 8 9 19

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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 The Hurricane Univ./Buena Vista 12 38 52 The Beach Fox 7 50 45 Hanging Up Sony 2 40 42

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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 Tuesdays.