DIRTY DANCING: HAVANA NIGHTS

This belated, unnecessary follow-up to Dirty Dancing was originally co-financed between Artisan and Miramax, until Lionsgate purchased Artisan for $160 million and took over their half of the financing of the $25 million budget.  Lionsgate also gave Artisan owners profit participation for the film and if it was to be successful, they expected a $5 – $15 million payout.  The film was certainly not successful.  Lionsgate distributed Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights in the US and the pic was originally going to open on February 13 over the Valentine’s Day weekend, but it got moved to February 27 where it would open in the shadow of The Passion of the Christ and Twisted and Club Dread would also bow.  It was booked into 2,042 theaters and grossed a terrible $5,811,325 — placing #5 for the weekend.  Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights declined 49% in its second frame to $2,962,008 and quickly left theaters with $14,161,590.  Lionsgate would see back about $7.5 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, which would not even cover half of the P&A costs.  Miramax sold foreign distribution rights and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights performed poorly in every market, grossing $13,523,426 and it was dumped straight to video in the UK.  Disney’s Buena Vista International released the film in Germany, which posted the highest gross with a mere $3 million.