THE CORE

Paramount financed The Core for $60 million and received some German coin from the tax shelter Munich Film Partners.  The high concept disaster film opened in the US in 3,017 theaters and came in below expectations with $12,053,131 and saw a 48.7% second weekend decline to $6,181,635 and quickly disappeared with $31,186,896.  Paramount did not find much success for The Core overseas, grossing a total of $42,311,715 and $12.5 million of that number was from Japan through distributor Gaga.  The worldwide total was a less than blockbuster $73.4 million, leaving Paramount with about $40 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross — leaving part of the worldwide P&A costs in the red and the budget at a loss.