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 Oct. 19-21:

Highlights:

* The thriller “From Hell” should break even for Fox after all ancillaries and foreign revenu are counted.

* “Riding in Cars With Boys” will lose money for Sony.

* “The Last Castle” is largely a write-off for DreamWorks.

$ Moneymakers ($10 million or more in profit)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Training Day Warner Bros. 3 $45 Don’t Say a Word Fox/New Regency 8 50 Serendipity Miramax 6 28 Zoolander Paramount/Vill. Roadshow 10 28 Corky Romano Disney 7 11 Iron Monkey Miramax 9 2

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Training Day $80 Don’t Say a Word 58 Serendipity 48 Zoolander 46 Corky Romano 25 Iron Monkey 17

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

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions From Hell Fox 1 $35 $35 Max Keebler’s Big Move Disney 11 12 20 Joy Ride Fox/Regency 12 23 23

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Losers (less than $5 million)

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Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Bandits MGM/Hyde Park 4 $80 Riding in Cars With Boys Sony 2 48 The Last Castle DreamWorks 5 60

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Bandits $42 Riding in Cars With Boys 36 The Last Castle 22

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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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