On the Road to Serious Profits

Opening weekend for Sony’s “The Mask of Zorro” and Fox’s “There’s Something About Mary” may be deceiving in terms of their true potential.

Worldwide theatrical gross for romantic adventure “Zorro” should hit $150 million and could easily exceed $200 million. If it grosses more than $100 million in the U.S., “Zorro” would move into the serious profit category for Sony.

Strong holding power would do the same for “Mary,” which will certainly bring a return on Fox’s modest investment. The gross-out comedy could go from triple to home run if it crosses $80 million in the U.S. “Mary” looks to be Fox’s fourth profit maker of the summer, along with “X-Files,” “Dr. Dolittle” and “Hope Floats.”