Thunderbirds threatens industry

While International Rescue saved lives and livelihoods across the globe, experts are saying that the film based on their exploits is having the opposi

16:02 25 August 2004

While International Rescue saved lives and livelihoods across the globe, experts are saying that the film based on their exploits is having the opposite effect on the British film industry.

Pessimists have said the industry is "in crisis" following the paltry box office takings that Thunderbirds, made by UK film company Working Title, netted.

Gerry Anderson's famous TV puppet series has so far netted $6.5 million (3.6 million) in the US and 4.4 million in the UK - it cost and estimated 32 million to make, according to imdb.com.

Rumours that Working Title - the company responsible for most of the UK's biggest movie hits for the last decade and a half including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary and Notting Hill - is on the slide has come as quite a shock to many in the film industry.

However, the filmmakers should have the reserves to handle the blip - having taken some 1.4 billion in box office proceeds since forming and is now Europe's most successful film company.

According to Working Title, ancillary sales of the remake, including DVDs, rentals and TV sales, will be enough to make the film break even.

A spokesperson told the BBC: "Thunderbirds has had a disappointing run but a break-even in terms of making movies is about as good as it gets for most companies.

"We wish it had done better but it isn't going to lose money. There is going to be no restructuring and no budget cut back."