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 Nov. 17-19:

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Highlights:

* “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” should be a solid winner for Universal since the major profit on the film will come via ancillaries and merchandising. Although the studio is giving away 34% of the back-end, the ancillary cut favors the studio.

* “Rugrats” is a home run for Paramount, again because of ancillaries.

* “Bounce” should just more than break even for Miramax.

* “The 6th Day” will fall a bit short of recoupment even if it does twice as much business overseas as expected. However, Sony is only carrying 60% of the budget for U.S. and most international territories. The rest is being covered by Phoenix Pictures.

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

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions The Grinch Universal 1 $123 Meet the Parents Universal/DreamWorks 8 55 Charlie’s Angels Sony 3 92 Remember the Titans Disney 11 30 Rugrats Paramount 2 30

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions The Grinch $180 Meet the Parents 155 Charlie’s Angels 140 Remember the Titans 115 Rugrats 85

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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 Men of Honor Fox 6 $33 $45 Billy Elliot Universal Focus 12 5 14

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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 Bounce Miramax 5 $35 $35

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Losers (more than $5 million in loss)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions The 6th Day Sony 4 $82 Little Nicky New Line 7 80 The Legend of Bagger Vance DreamWorks 10 60 Red Planet Warner Bros. 9 75

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions The 6th Day $42 Little Nicky 55 The Legend of Bagger Vance 32 Red Planet 19

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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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