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. 27-29:

Highlights

* Paramount has only domestic rights on “Lucky Numbers,” which leaves it exposed for less than half the total budget--around $65 million--though other sources put it higher.

n Artisan more than paid for “Blair Witch 2” through overseas sales. The company is likely to make money on the U.S. release.

n New Line paid a little more than $1 million for domestic rights to “The Little Vampire” and so should make money.

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

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Meet the Parents Universal/DreamWorks 1 $55 Remember the Titans Disney 3 30

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Meet the Parents $140 Remember the Titans 110

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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. 11 $1 $40 Blair Witch 2 Artisan 2 15 27 The Contender DreamWorks 8 9 20 Best in Show Warner Bros. 10 6 15 The Little Vampire New Line 6 22 14

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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 Pay It Forward Warner Bros. 5 $40 The Ladies Man Paramount 12 11 The Legend of Drunken Master Dimension 9 2

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Pay It Forward $38 The Ladies Man 15 The Legend of Drunken Master 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 Bedazzled Fox 4 $48 $40 Lucky Numbers Paramount 7 65 10

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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.