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 Sept. 14-16:

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Highlights:

* Paramount’s investment in “Hardball” is less than half the budget, meaning the studio will see a profit on the film, even if its financier, Fireworks, has some trouble recouping the rest of the budget overseas.

* “The Glass House” should be a break-even proposition for Sony after all ancillary revenue is counted.

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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 New Line 6 $90 $220 American Pie 2 Universal 8 30 140 The Princess Diaries Disney 11 30 105 The Others Dimension 4 17 80

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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 Jeepers Creepers MGM 7 10 Two Can Play That Game Sony 5 6 O Lion’s Gate 12 5

Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Rat Race $52 Jeepers Creepers 36 Two Can Play That Game 22 O 16

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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 The Musketeer Universal/Miramax 3 $40 $30 Hardball Paramount 1 21 28 The Glass House Sony 2 22 18

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Losers (less than $5 million) Box- Estimated office cost, in Movie title Studio rank millions Rock Star Warner Bros. 10 $38

Losers (less than $5 million) Projected U.S. box-office receipts, Movie title in millions Rock Star $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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