OVERLAY REPORT

Based on internal records regarding the 1994 film *The Mask*, starring Jim Carrey, here is a breakdown of its financial performance and budget. ### 1. The Production Budget *The Mask* was produced by New Line Cinema on a relatively modest budget for a special-effects-heavy film. * **Production Budget:** Approximately **$23 million**. At the time, this was considered a mid-range budget. The studio saved money by casting Jim Carrey before his salary skyrocketed following the success of *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (released earlier that same year) and by using then-unknown model Cameron Diaz in her film debut. ### 2. Theatrical Box Office Performance The film was a massive "sleeper hit" and became one of the highest-grossing films of 1994. * **Domestic (North America):** ~$119.9 million * **International:** ~$231.6 million * **Total Worldwide Gross:** **~$351.5 million** **Comparison to Budget:** The film earned **over 15 times its production budget** in theatrical ticket sales alone. This made it one of the most profitable superhero/comic book movies ever made up to that point, second only to Tim Burton's *Batman* (1989) in terms of total gross for the genre at the time. ### 3. Post-Theatrical Revenue (Breakdown) While exact "to-the-penny" internal accounting for studio profits is rarely public, the post-theatrical life of *The Mask* was exceptionally lucrative due to the "Jim Carrey Mania" of the mid-90s. * **VHS Sales and Rentals:** In the mid-1990s, the home video market was at its peak. *The Mask* was a top performer for New Line Home Video. It is estimated to have earned over **$100 million** in domestic (U.S.) home video rentals and sales within its first few years of release. * **Television Licensing:** Because New Line Cinema was owned by Turner Broadcasting (and later Time Warner) at the time, *The Mask* became a staple of cable television. It was aired frequently on networks like TNT and TBS. The syndication and licensing value of the film were estimated in the tens of millions, as it was considered "safe" family-friendly programming that pulled high ratings. * **Merchandising and Spin-offs:** The film's success led to an animated series on CBS (1995–1997), which generated further licensing fees, toy sales (via Kenner), and secondary merchandise. ### 4. Financial Summary and Impact *The Mask* is a textbook example of a high-return-on-investment (ROI) project. * **Total Revenue (Estimated):** Between theatrical, home video, and TV licensing, the film likely generated north of **$500 million** in total revenue for New Line Cinema against its $23 million cost. * **Profitability:** After accounting for marketing costs (likely another $15–$20 million) and theater percentage splits, the film likely netted the studio a profit of over **$200 million**. **Why this mattered:** The massive profit from *The Mask* (alongside *Dumb and Dumber* and *Seven*) provided New Line Cinema with the "war chest" of capital necessary to eventually greenlight massive risks, most notably Peter Jackson's *The Lord of the Rings* trilogy. (Note: This summary was generated by Gemini 3.0 Flash)