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. and Canadian returns (about 55% of gross) represent only 20% of a film’s final revenue, which includes overseas theatrical, video and TV income. The industry marketing average of $30 million per film is factored into these profit equations as is the relative strength of specific film genres in foreign markets. Results for the weekend of Feb. 23-25:

Highlights:

* The exact cost of “3,000 Miles to Graceland” is being disputed by Franchise Pictures and co-financier Intertainment. Franchise claims about $62 million; Intertainment says the movie cost less than $50 million. Either way, it will fall far short of recoupment.

* “Monkeybone” is Fox’s most costly failure in recent memory, with some sources placing the production cost in the $80-million neighborhood.

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

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Projected U.S. Box- Estimated box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Cast Away Fox/DreamWorks 10 $90 $230 Hannibal MGM/Universal 1 80 170 Crouching Tiger Sony Classics 5 15 105 Traffic USA 6 50 100 Save the Last Dance Paramount 12 13 88

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Moneymakers ($10 million or more in profit)

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Projected U.S. Box- Estimated box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Down to Earth Paramount 2 $30 $65 The Wedding Planner Sony 9 28 60 Chocolat Miramax 8 25 55 Recess: School’s Out Disney 4 10 45

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Losers (more than $5 million in loss)

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Projected U.S. Box- Estimated box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Sweet November Warner Bros. 7 $40 $30 3,000 Miles to Graceland Warner Bros. 3 62 21 Monkeybone Fox 11 75 6

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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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