The Los Angeles Times [free registration required] has an article today about the financial “conductors” behind The Polar Express. “To make the film, which uses new technology to insert actor Tom Hanks into a computer-generated Christmas fantasy, the fare for Warner Bros. and its financing partner, producer Steve Bing, came to $170 million. On top of that, $125 million is going toward global marketing and distribution. And if the movie turns a profit, Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis can claim more than one-third of it for themselves. All told, Polar will have to amass more than $500 million in worldwide revenue from box-office, DVD and TV sales and other sources to leave Warner and Bing any presents under the tree.” The article goes on to tally the film’s strengths; as well as list its shortcomings and competition (mainly in the form of Pixar’s Incredibles and Paramount/Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants).