Company Town Film Profit Report

The 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 (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. 5-7:

“Payback’s” only profit limitation lies in paying back Mel Gibson’s first-dollar-gross participation both as actor and producer. “Simply Irresistible” is the first of the year’s teen casualties. Unless it performs significantly better overseas, “The Thin Red Line” will not be able to overcome its modest domestic box-office performance. “Prince of Egypt” appears to have a solid chance of reaching profitability, based on worldwide theatrical receipts of more than $200 million, but only if video sales are comparable to other hit animation titles.

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Patch Adams Universal 3 $65 $135 You’ve Got Mail Warner Bros. 10 60 120 Saving Private Ryan DreamWorks SKG 5 65 220

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$ Moneymakers

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Proj Box- Est. U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Stepmom Sony 8 50 95 Varsity Blues Paramount 4 15 55 She’s All That Miramax 2 11 55 Shakespeare in Love Miramax 6 40 60 Payback Paramount 1 52 85

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? Tossups

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Proj Box- Est. U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Prince of Egypt DreamWorks SKG 11 75 100 A Civil Action Disney 7 55 60

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? Money Losers

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Proj Box- Est. U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions At First Sight MGM 9 42 Simply Irresistible Fox 9 10 8 The Thin Red Line Fox 12 53 36

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Notes: Cost estimates are for production only. Only half of box-office receipts come back to the studio.

Researched by RICHARD NATALE

If you have information or comments about the chart, call (213) 237-2001 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Send faxes to (213) 237-7837.

For weekly box-office listings, see Calendar section on Tuesdays.