MIAMI VICE

Universal claims the budget for Miami Vice is $135 million, but the film is rumored to cost well over $150 million after the production went over schedule from three hurricanes, a shooting incident in the Dominican Republic and since this is a Michael Mann production — tempers flaring between the leads and the director.  With worldwide marketing costs estimated around $100 million, the break even point became even more distant since Michael Mann received 8.5% of the first dollar gross on top of his $6 million salary.  Universal opened Miami Vice in the US in 3,021 theaters and the film fell within expectations at $25,723,815 — winning the weekend and dethroning Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest of the top spot in its fourth weekend.  Universal expected Miami Vice to have strong legs at the box office and pull in a final gross similar to director Michael Mann’s Collateral ($101 million domestic), but the pic had terrible legs and sank 60.2% in its second weekend to $10,227,880.  Miami Vice closed with a very disappointing $63,450,470.  Miami Vice pulled in $100.3 million overseas, but the numbers were not strong enough to lift the weak domestic gross. The $163.7 million worldwide total would return about $90 million to Universal after theaters take their percentage of the gross.  In an earnings call with financial analysts in July, General Electric (parent company of Universal) expected Miami Vice to pull in at least $100 million domestic, but after the pic quickly faded from theaters, it was estimated that after ancillary sales Universal would have at least a $30 million loss on the picture.