[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Machete made approximately $12M, opening weekend. Typically, films do no more than half that initial amount during Week Two; and, from there, a steady, gradual decline.

Reports are that it cost $25M to make, and (again, approximately) another $25M would be added on top of that for the distribution -- and, more importantly, saturation-level advertising -- involved. So: that's $50M needing to be recouped, give or take...

... except that it's standard Hollywood Financial Law that a film routinely needs to make back three times its total costs, overall, in order to qualify as genuinely "profitable" from a studio's perspective. So, really, Machete needs to make $150M, all told, for the dire prospect of sequels to come into play. ;)

Can Machete reasonably expect to do that? Not solely through whatever it likely will end up generating via domestic release and DVD rights, no... but: how said vile dreck ultimately performs in, say, Central or South America, on the other hand, may be another matter altogether.

Worth keeping an eye on this story as it develops, methinks.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Just to be absolutely clear: "Typically, films do no more than half that initial amount during Week Two" means, of course, that non-blockbuster flicks traditionally make no more in the course of Week Two than half of whatever they ended up making during Week One. (Obviously, solid franchise exceptions such as -- oh, say -- Toy Story 3 are a different matter altogether.) ;)

[Liz]

You know they’ve cooked the books already-—and Hollyweirdso are notorious for cheating on the grosses.

Bombs usually make it on foreign distribution deals.

‘Machete’ will be a huge hit in the Third World.

[Zack Nguyen]

... except that it's standard Hollywood Financial Law that a film routinely needs to make back three times its total costs, overall, in order to qualify as genuinely "profitable" from a studio's perspective. So, really, Machete needs to make $150M, all told, for the dire prospect of sequels to come into play. ;)

Actually, I've read the studio and the theatres split the profits, so a movie needs to make back about 2x what it cost. I have only read that and am no expert so let me know if I'm wrong.

[mono]

You are correct on your math. Including international markets, politically correctspeak for foreign, and cable, dvd sales the film will probably turn a small profit.