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X FILES IWTB Box Office

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Guest C Whitty

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Guest C Whitty

Hi

I have seen a lot of discussion on the forum re X Files 2 (as I like to call it) making a profit/loss so as best as I can I wanted to pool together all the numbers available on the net

Based on The Numbers website

X FILES 2 grossed

In the US - $20,982,478

Other countries - $47,386,956

Total - $68,369,434

If we assume the budget was $30 million and that the studio on average earns 55% of the gross this would mean that the studio earned in total

$7,603,188 but this figure does not include cost's for advertising and for prints of the actual film (which are quite expensive)

The cost of a print is roughly £1500.00 as the X-Files was placed in 3185 theaters in the US alone this cost £4,777,500 equating in dollars to $7,644,000 (although I guess it is possible that these major studios gain some discount)

Advertising cost's are difficult to assume but normally studios spend an additional 30% so we assume $9 million

Therefore from a profit of $7.6 million we are now looking at a loss of around $9 million (I think figure is higher than this as I have no idea whether they have to pay for prints worldwide or reuse US prints) but if they did not reuse then based on the film having an additional 3891 screens worldwide this would have cost a further $9,338,400 making a total loss of $18,338,400

For the USA only the film earned in DVD sales $15,649,238 (rental figures for US and worldwide unknown) what we also are not aware of is amount made from dvd sales of the series due to the new film, merchandise sales and also sales for TV rights - but I personally feel the film has done enough "just" to break even.

If the studio are clever and keep a similar budget but this time are more careful on the release date I think an X-FILES3 can be profitable

If anyone can help add info please feel free - and keep buying the DVDS lol!

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So have I understood this right :unsure:

Based on your figures X-Files: I Want To Believe made a loss of $18,338,400 prior to its release on DVD and such a release would only have served, coupled with merchandise and so on, to recoup that loss and possibly push the film into a tiny profit margin?

I was under the impression (but I freely admit I know absolutely nothing about subjects like this) that it had made a decent profit when all of the above had been factored into the equation.

I'm all confused (doesn't take much.) :blink:

Eth

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Guest C Whitty

Lol well I suppose only Fox's accountants would know the true figure but I think it is fair to assume that based solely on the Box Office the film did indeed make a loss

I estimate as you noted at a loss of $18 million but I also cant be sure as to whether they get discount on multiple prints/whether they reused some prints which would bring this loss down, I also estimated an advrtising budget of $9 million (not a lot) but based on the brand (you wouldnt expect to need a lot of exposure) and after seeing the level of advertising in the UK (very poor) I think this loss figure is as accurate as we can be.

I just wish I had worldwide DVD sales consider roughly the film made 1/3rd of its money in the USA and made $15m in dvd sales if the ratio stayed the same worldwide that would have rest of the world producing $30m in dvd sales, without us knowing about additional tv box sets purchased and merchandise - does anyone know the profit margins on dvd sales?

If the dvd's have sold well it will certainly I feel push into breaking even/profit territory - then we have to consider what return Fox themselves consider acceptable on a $30m investment - my gut thoughts they would want a clear $10m profit back in their hand maybe slightly more.

Anyone here think if there is no film/tv movie/straight to dvd made for 2012 then we have seen the end of the XFILES?

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Well I bow to thee,

I truly have no cognisance at all with regards to subjects like this and find it fascinating when people break it down as you have. Do you work within the industry (if I can be so bold as to ask) as I do marvel at how on earth fans have picked up so much knowledge along the way.

I read something similar recently in which an individual who does work for Fox, although had no involvement in the film at all, broke the figures down in a similar manner and whilst I cannot for the love of me remember the exact details I will try and find it.

What did interest me about that particular article was the assertion that the films budget, whilst modest, was perfectly in keeping with a considerable number of other films made year in year out. I was under the impression that XFIWTB was made for a substantially smaller figure than many of its peers but the poster asserted that huge budget movies are not the staple of most studios and that the $30 million figure is about right for the majority. I believe District 9 was made for the same figure though I could be wrong.

I do hope it did move into profit but reading the above it does look like direct to DVD may be the franchises only hope of further outings (which is what we hope will happen with Millennium to be truthful.)

Very interesting read!

Eth

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Guest C Whitty

Actually I have spent a lot of time waiting for sequels for certain movies and then trying to work out why we havent seen them! lot of google work and sites such as box office mojo, box office guru and the numbers. ( I work in shipping dull dull dull)

Considering movie budgets - I guess I look at $30m being a figure that for a brand name of The X Files seems small, (X Files 1 budget was $66m) but was a sensible figure given fox's uncertainty on returns, as you point out District 9's budget was similar and has made a very good amount of money at the box office so success can be made on these budgets its just how you spend the money!

I compare X Files 2 to Serenity which X Files 2 outgrossed worldwide, but Serenity cost 9m more, there is a lot of talk of some type of Serenity sequel due to good dvd sales - if this happens then I see no compelling reason why Fox would not make X Files 3.

As we are in 2009, I guess to meet a 2012 release date we would need pre production to start when....late 2010? any ideas on this as its not that far away!

Re Millennium straight to dvd release - Stargate have had a few straight to dvd releases for the old series and each budget was $7m - surely Fox can release that amount I would be amazed if a return was not made on this if the project is dealt with properly!

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