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 March 3-5:

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Highlights:

* “Erin Brockovich” continues Julia Robert’s winning streak and should be wildly profitable worldwide for both Universal and Sony, which has the film abroad.

* “Final Destination” should recoup its investment and make a profit.

* Disney’s “Mission to Mars” is fading too quickly to recoup.

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$$ 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 Erin Brockovich Universal/Sony 1 $51 $125 American Beauty DreamWorks SKG 7 15 115 Snow Day Paramount 9 13 62 The Tigger Movie Buena Vista 10 15 46 My Dog Skip Warner Bros. 4 7 38

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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 Whole Nine Yards Warner Bros. 6 24 58 The Cider House Rules Miramax 8 24 50

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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 Final Destination New Line 3 23 25 Drowning Mona Destination 11 16 16 The Ninth Gate Artisan 5 30 16

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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 Mission to Mars Buena Vista 2 90 65 The Next Best Thing Paramount 2 25 16

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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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