A & E briefs: Chan, Wilson in 'Shanghai' II
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HOLLYWOOD - The Old West met the Far East in last year's "Shanghai Noon." Now, Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson have signed on for a sequel titled "Shanghai Knights," in which they hope to bring some laughs to foggy London town. "Knights" marks the sixth project Chan has been attached to since completing filming on "Rush Hour 2" three weeks ago. It opens Aug. 3.
In the sequel, the culture-clashing duo travel to prim and proper London to stop an international conspiracy to take out the British and Chinese Empires at the turn of the century.
Production is planned to start in February in London.
"Shanghai Noon," which opened in the shadow of "Mission: Impossible 2" over last year's Memorial Day weekend, earned more than $100 million at the worldwide box office and enjoyed brisk business on video and DVD.
Audrey Hepburn tops list NEW YORK - More than 2,500 Biography Magazine readers have picked Audrey Hepburn ("Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Sabrina") as their favorite leading actress of all time.
From a total of 2,534 votes, Hepburn received 651. The survey was conducted via the Internet and included 59 other world-famous contenders.
The top 10 were: Audrey Hepburn; Katherine Hepburn; Cher; Meryl Streep; Bette Davis; Ingrid Bergman; Jodie Foster; Vivien Leigh; Susan Hayward; and a tie between Susan Sarandon and Barbra Streisand.
AFI has '100 Thrills'
HOLLYWOOD - Based on the success of its previous TV specials, the American Film Institute will air a new AFI 100 list dedicated to the action, suspense and thriller genres this month.
Titled "AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Thrills," the special will list the most significant American action films in Hollywood history.
Harrison Ford will host the event, which will air Tuesday, June 12 on CBS.
Ballots went out to 1,800 AFI members late last year. They were asked to choose from 400 action/suspense/thriller films. The group consists of entertainment-industry professionals, including actors, directors and producers.
Included on the ballots were films such as "The Matrix," "Psycho," "Body Heat" and "The Shining" - 11 of the films starred Ford.
Cate Blanchett expecting
"It was a wonderful surprise, and we couldn't be happier," Australian-born Blanchett said in a statement released by her Sydney publicist.
The actress was nominated for an Oscar for "Elizabeth" and stars in the upcoming "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
'Battlefield' comes to TV
LOS ANGELES - L. Ron Hubbard licensing group Author Services is planning the production of 13 animated episodes based on the book "Battlefield Earth" and its subsequent film - which Roger Ebert described as "like taking a bus trip with someone who has needed a bath for a long time. It's not merely bad; it's unpleasant in a hostile way."
Dan Haggerty ("Grizzly Adams") will provide the voice of Terl, the dreadlocked villain played by John Travolta in the movie.
Chow Yun-Fat has been named as a possible voice for non-English versions of the series.
'Don Giovanni' booed
LONDON - A racy new production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" was loudly booed on its opening night at the London Coliseum.
Some in the audience clearly were not impressed with Spanish director Calixto Bieito's contemporary update, in which Giovanni has sex in the back of a car and behind a bar.
Opera's most famous womanizer is portrayed as a gun-toting lecher. Instead of being dragged down to hell, he is ritually stabbed to death by the characters whose lives he has defiled.
Bieito said that he was not interested in re-creating the myth of Don Juan, but only in bringing Giovanni's character to life for a contemporary audience.
His interpretation hit the mark for some in the audience, who challenged the booers with loud cheers.
Mozart first staged "Don Giovanni" in 1787. The libretto depicts Don Juan as a witty seducer who fascinates and repels heroine Donna Anna.