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 Oct. 13-15:

Highlights:

* Based on its low budget, “Ladies Man” will make a profit for Paramount.

* “The Contender,” in which DreamWorks SKG has a $5-million stake for domestic rights, should be modestly profitable.

* “Dr. T. & the Women,” for which Artisan committed $15 million in prints and advertising in return for domestic rights, should break even for them after ancillaries are factored. But New Line’s “Lost Souls,” will struggle to recoup.

* “Best in Show” looks to show a profit, and could do even better when it expands nationally.

$$ 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 Meet the Parents Univ./DreamWorks 1 $55 $120 Remember the Titans Buena Vista 2 30 100 Bring It On Universal 12 10 68

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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 Exorcist Warner Bros. 6 $1 $40 Best in Show Warner Bros. 10 6 16

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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 Contender DreamWorks SKG 5 $9 $17 Ladies Man Paramount 4 11 16 Dr. T. & the Women Artisan 7 12 14 Digimon: The Movie Fox 11 5 11

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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 Almost Famous DreamWorks 9 $60 $35 Lost Souls New Line 3 28 21 Get Carter Warner Bros. 8 40 15

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