Forbes: Damon's a `Bourne' moneymaker
NEW YORK - Matt Damon is Hollywood's best investment, says Forbes. com.
For every dollar he was paid for his last three roles, Damon brought in $29 of gross income, the site calculated.
That put the 36-year-old "Bourne" star atop a Forbes list of 22 film heavyweights, ranked by the same financial formula.
The first two "Bourne" movies grossed an estimated $850 million at the box office and in DVD sales, Forbes said. The third installment, "The Bourne Ultimatum," opened last weekend and raked in $70.2 million at the box office. It was the biggest August film opening ever.
Brad Pitt took second place on the list, with a gross income return of $24 for each dollar of his pay, and Vince Vaughn tied with Johnny Depp for third with $21.
Pitt's ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, is the most profitable actress with a gross income return of $17. Pitt's current significant other, Angelina Jolie, ranked sixth with $15.
"The biggest stars in Hollywood are not the actors that deliver the biggest returns," Forbes senior editor Michael Ozanian said in a statement Monday.
Russell Crowe is at the bottom of the list. His last three films — "A Good Year," "Cinderella Man" and "Master and Commander" — averaged just $5 in gross income for every dollar spent on the Oscar winner, Forbes said.
Movies starring the two Toms — Hanks and Cruise — averaged $12 and $11 of gross income, respectively. Will Smith and Denzel Washington each brought in $10.
On the comedic front, Adam Sandler brought in $9 per dollar earned, Will Ferrell and Jim Carrey $8 each).
Forbes.com calculated the net revenue for a film by adding the worldwide box office and revenues from U.S. DVD and video rentals and then subtracting its budget. The net revenue was divided by the actor's total compensation to derive gross income. The average gross income of an actor's last three films produced their box-office return.
The "Ultimate Star Payback" list was posted Monday.
New CD Releases, Aug. 7: Jonas Brothers, Constantine Maroulis, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Jonas Brothers "Jonas Brothers"
The New Jersey siblings--Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas--deliver a self-titled set that marks the pop-rock band's second album, following 2006's "It's About Time."
The Jonas Brothers are a big hit with younger listeners, thanks in large part to appearances on television. They've been featured on MTV, Nickelodeon, the Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel. Furthermore, the Disney Channel is set to air a new series starring the Brothers--"J.O.N.A.S!"--in which the young musicians will be cast in the roles of government-hired spies.
The band has had many chart-toppers on Radio Disney, including "Year 3000," "Hold On" and "Kids of the Future." All of those songs are on "Jonas Brothers," which is why this record has a good chance at debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
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Constantine Maroulis "Constantine"
Fans of "American Idol" might have been wondering, "Whatever happened to Constantine Maroulis?" Well, this week brings an answer: the two-year-in-the-making solo outing "Constantine."
Maroulis, who competed during the fourth season of Fox-TV's "American Idol," is striking out on his own after having previously fronted the New York-based rock quartet Pray for the Soul of Betty.
Despite being a fan favorite, Maroulis finished in sixth place on "Idol." That explains the name for his record label, 6th Place.
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Grace Potter and the Nocturnals "This Is Somewhere"
The Vermont-based group, which combines blues, funk and rock and is often lumped into the "jam band" category, returns with a follow-up to 2006's "Nothing But the Water."
Led by vocalist Grace Potter, who also is capable with keyboards and guitar, the troupe has a Jammy Award to its credit. The band won the Jammy for "Best New Groove" in 2006.
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Robben Ford "Truth"
The Northern California blues great, who has backed such mega-stars as Joni Mitchell and George Harrison, picks up his guitar and strums out the "Truth." The album features fellow blues-guitar champ Susan Tedeschi on "One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor."
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Bruce Hornsby "Camp Meeting"
Having recently released an album with bluegrass star Ricky Skaggs, the ever-restless Hornsby now takes a turn toward jazz music. "Camp Meeting" features the pianist leading a jazz trio of bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The threesome is touring in support of the album.
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More new releases:
Kat DeLuna, "9 Lives" (Sony)
Drowning Pool, "Full Circle" (Eleven Seven)
Fuel, "Angels and Devils" (Epic)
Billie Holiday, "Remixed and Reimagined" (Sony)
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, "Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes: Live in Concert" (Soul Concerts)
Plies, "The Real Testament" (Atlantic)
John Pinette, "Making Lite of Myself" (Uproard)
The Receiving End of Sirens, "The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi" (Triple Crown)
Diana Ross, "Last Time I Saw Him" (Hip-O)
Joe Satriani, "Surfing with the Alien" (Sony)
Slightly Stoopid, "Chronchitis" (Megaforce)
Third Day, "Chronology, Vol. 2" (Essential)
Throwdown, "Venom and Tears" (Trustkill)
UGK, "Underground Kingz" (Jive)
Jennifer Warnes, "Famous Blue Raincoat: 20th Anniversary Edition" (Shout Factory)
Van Halen Tour To Be Announced Next Week?
Sources say a Hollywood press conference in one week will announce a 50-date American arena tour by Van Halen to begin in early October. The tour will feature founding Van Halen members David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen, with Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass.
A proposed summer amphitheater tour by the group, first tipped here in late January, never got off the ground, with Eddie Van Halen entering a rehabilitation facility for undisclosed reasons in March.
In the months since, the artist has been seen publicly looking healthy and fit, and Billboard.com reported a month ago that several arena holds were in place in major markets for potential Van Halen dates.
Van Halen last toured in 2004 with vocalist Sammy Hagar, grossing nearly $40 million, according to Billboard Boxscore. Roth has not fronted the band on tour in more than 20 years.