Aladdin Recoup?

[A1st]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:42am

Has the show recouped yet? I think it should have by now, but no announcement has been made. Correct me if I am wrong but I looked online and didn't find anything.  

I did the math and here's what I discovered:

The show has been running for 66 weeks. I estimated the weekly nut to be about $600,000 (I know they don't pay rent on the theater, but it seems like a pretty big show to run)

($600,000 per week)(66 weeks) is $39,600,000 for their running costs throughout the run so far.

According to the Grosses, the show has grossed $92,796,065 so far, so

$92,796,065 - $39,600,000 = $53,196,065.

The show's budget is estimated to be 14 million, so 

$53,196,065 - $14,000,000 = $39,196,065 (theoretical profit)

 

In addition, I looked at the gross chart and determined that the show should have recouped between 12/7/14 and 12/14/14

 

It seems like the show has recouped but anyone know why it hasn't been announced yet? Or, if the show has not recouped its investment, why it has not yet?

 

 

Updated On: 6/10/15 at 12:42 AM

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:47am

Disney normally does not announce recoupments. 

[Fantod]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 1:39am

The show probably costs closer to $700,000 to run, and the budget was probably almost 20 million

And Disney never announced recoup costs.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 1:46am

oh my gosh disney makes so much money with their shows. Also, they have to still pay taxes and have bills to pay right?

Updated On: 6/10/15 at 01:46 AM

[tmbyru]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 6:43am

Disney does in fact pay rent for the theatre - they do not own the New Amsterdam but have a 99 year lease on the building and outsourced a firm to renovate it when they took on the lease. The building is actually owned by the city. So you should include some rent figures in there as well. 

[Jonwo]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 9:41am

I imagine when they announce the U.S. tour of Aladdin, they will mention the recoupment. Both Newsies and Poppins announced recoupment as did Aida. 

[A1st]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 10:19am

Ok this may sound like a stupid question but here we go-

Since Disney pays rent to the city for the theater, is that something Aladdin would have to do or just Disney? What I'm saying is is rent something that would have to go in the weekly nut for a show (at the new Amsterdam only) or does Disney just factor that into its budget for the 99-year lease?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 10:27am

Recoupment is not a concept that makes sense in the Disney model, because each show does not fully stand on its own bottom. Also, Disney does a great deal in house that shows in the standard mode have to purchase. Regarding the ground rent (much of Times Square consists of ground rents rather than fee simple ownership), it is negligible (and of course paid without regard to whether a show is running or not).

[bdn223]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 11:46am

Having actually written a thesis on the Disnification of Time Square, Disney does not pay rent, but rather pays a 2% royalty to New York City of the grosses for any show running in the New Amsterdam. It was honestly one of the smartest business decisions for both sides, the Disney recieved a 99 year lease on the theater and $28 million loan to renovate the New Amsterdam, and intern the city has received over $16 million over the past 18 years in royalties and got the number one family entertainment company into New York, giving new life to Time Square. 

I don't know if Disney has paid off the $28 million loan yet, but I'd assume that they have or are close to considering that the New Amsterdam has brought in nearly $850 million over the past 18 years. 

Even then I think Aladdin has much higher running costs than $700k, especially considering the amount of marketing Disney has thrown into the production, to try and turn it into a long runner. If I had to guess its running cost are closer to $800k-$900k.

Disney usually makes recoupment announcement with its formal touring/another production announcement, which has not been made to my knowledge yet for the tour or the West End. 

[Jonwo]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:17pm

Disney usually makes recoupment announcement with its formal touring/another production announcement, which has not been made to my knowledge yet for the tour or the West End. "

They have just opened a production in Tokyo and a German production is opening in December. The tour and The West End production are likely on the cards for 2016/17.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:41pm

I bet Aladdin will run for a long time. Maybe thats one of the reasons they didn't want to bring Hunchback in just yet.