Business: The Hispanic Effect

10:46 PM PST 1/19/2011 by Pamela McClintock

“Toy Story 3,” big Latin audience? Si. How the group’s box office power is changing marketing for movies, from “The Rite” to “Black Swan.”

When Lionsgate opened The Last Exorcism in August, the mock-documentary produced for less than $2 million cast an unexpected spell. Opening to $20.4 million, it came within a few hundred thousand dollars of taking the top spot its opening weekend and proved devilishly profitable, grossing $42 million domestically and $66.5 million worldwide. The secret of its success? It captured the imagination of Hispanic moviegoers.