SWING VOTE

Star Kevin Costner financed the $21m Swing Vote himself and after Touchstone purchased the US rights and overseas distribution was sold off, Costner claimed he was $1m in the black.  Great for Costner, but not for the $22m that numerous distributors ponied up for the title.  The mouse house’s Touchstone banner opened Swing Vote in 2,213 theaters to a weak $6,230,669 and the film grossed a total of $16,289,867.  Disney’s 55% of the gross, would leave them with a gap in the ad spend and the acquisition costs and weak home video numbers around $7.5m (less after resellers take their cut and manufacturing costs) would slightly pad their loss.  Overseas, the film saw a small theatrical rollout to just $1.3m and it went straight to video in most territories.