'Man of Steel' is already near profit

From darkhorizons, Despite boasting a production budget of around $225 million, it looks like Warners won't have to wait long for its Superman reboot "Man of Steel" to get into the black.

Advertising Age and THR report that Warners has already recouped almost three-quarters of that budget before it has opened at the box-office.

With the help of around one hundred global promotional partners, the film has chalked up a collective $170 million in product placement and promotional support deals with the likes of Gillette, Mattel, Walmart, Fisher Price, Lego, Converse, Chrysler, Hershey, Nokia, Sears, Carl's Jr., Roebuck & Co., Hardee, Kellogg, Kinetics, Warby Parker and even the U.S. Army National Guard.

That number tops the seventy total promotional partners which Universal's "The Lorax" had early last year, and the $150 million that "The Dark Knight Rises" scored for its collective promotional support.

Even more international partners are expected to sign on before the film's U.S. launch next Friday, while the eventual DVD/Blu-ray release of "Man of Steel" is also expected to nab the studio a few more later this year.

Of course the production budget is only part of the cost, the marketing and promotional budget of a film this size is considerable. Nevertheless, 'Steel' is already looking likely to be one of the most profitable tentpoles released this season.