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 represent only 20% of a film’s final revenue, which includes income from video, TV and overseas theatrical. 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 June 11-13:

The “Austin Powers” sequel should be one of the year’s most profitable movies. Based on its continued drawing power in the U.S. and strong overseas openings, “The Mummy” now looks to be a major moneymaker for Universal.

$$ Mega-Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions The Matrix Warner Bros. 7 $62 $165 Phantom Menace Fox 2 115 375 Notting Hill Universal 3 42 110 Austin Powers 2 New Line 1 33 180 The Mummy Universal 5 78 145

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$ Moneymakers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Never Been Kissed Fox 10 22 55 Entrapment Fox 6 66 85

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? Tossups

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions Election Paramount 12 9 15 Midsummer Night’s ... Searchlight 11 15 16 Tea With Mussolini MGM 9 14 12

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Money Losers

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Projected Box- Estimated U.S. box-office office cost, in receipts, Movie title Studio rank millions in millions The 13th Floor Sony 8 18 12 Instinct Buena Vista 4 55 40

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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 company.town@latimes.com. Send faxes to (213) 237-7837.

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