The Los Angeles Times has obtained a copy of the accounting records for the big budget box office disaster Sahara. Based on Clive Cussler’s novel and starring Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz the movie cost $160-million production and $81.1 million in distribution expenses and according to the financial records is expected to lose $78.3 million based on Hollywood accounting methods that count projected revenue over a 10-year period. Current loses stand at about $105 million. Currently both Cussler and the production company back by billionaire Philip Anschutz (who also backed the much more successful The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) are suing each other:
Cussler initially sued, claiming that Anschutz's producers reneged on his $10-million contract by failing to honor his right to approve the script. Anschutz countersued, alleging that Cussler exaggerated sales of "Sahara" and other Dirk Pitt adventure books and that he refused to promote the film, hurting attendance. Both sides seek millions of dollars in damages.
It is from the court documents that the financial records were obtained. Most interesting line item: Courtesy payments," "gratuities" and "local bribes" totalling $237,386.
I found the movie to be a good and fairly faithful adaption of the novel and the producers made the correct choice of cutting out the most bizarre part of the novel – the kidnapping of Abraham Lincoln. I hope that more Cussler novels are made into movies, even if the budget needs to be cut a bit.