Company Town Film 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 Sept. 28-30:

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Highlights:

* “Don’t Say a Word” should prove to be a modest hit for New Regency, which financed the film, and for 20th Century Fox, which is distributing it.

* Paramount’s exposure on “Zoolander” is less than 50% for domestic rights and a distribution fee overseas, so the company should make a nice profit on the comedy.

* “Hearts in Atlantis” looks to break into the black and possibly do even better.

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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 Rush Hour 2 *ew Line 6 $90 $225 American Pie 2 Universal 11 30 145 The Others Dimension 5 17 98

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$ Moneymakers ($10 million or more in profit)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Rat Race Paramount/Fireworks 9 $48 Zoolander Paramount/Village Roadshow 2 28 Jeepers Creepers MGM 12 10 Hardball Paramount 4 21 Two Can Play That Game Sony 10 6

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Rat Race $58 Zoolander 45 Jeepers Creepers 38 Hardball 38 Two Can Play That Game 24

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? Tossups ($5 million or more in profit/loss)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Don’t Say a Word Fox/New Regency 1 $50 Hearts in Atlantis Warner Bros./Castle Rock 3 31 The Musketeer Universal/Miramax 8 40 The Glass House Sony 7 22

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Don’t Say a Word $60 Hearts in Atlantis 35 The Musketeer 30 The Glass House 18

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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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