HOLLYWOOD - Top Story
MGM is one step closer to bringing Rocky VI to the big screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio is in final negotiations with Sylvester Stallone to write, star and produce the film. In Rocky VI, the now 50-year-old Rocky Balboa would be running a youth center but be lured out of retirement for one last fight. While Hollywood sequels have become synonymous with big budgets, this new installment will reportedly return the franchise to its indie-style roots. The original Rocky released in 1976 had a budget of about $1 million and went on to gross more than $220 million worldwide. Following the success of Rocky, MGM went on to release Rocky II in 1979, Rocky III in 1982, Rocky IV in 1985 and Rocky V in 1990. Each film--with the exception of Rocky V--made more than $100 million at the box office.
Celebs
Paula Poundstone has regained full legal custody of her three adopted children who had been taken away from her in connection with her arrest last year on alcohol-related child abuse charges, The Associated Press reports. "I made mistakes and I broke the law and I'm more than willing to pay the price for that," Poundstone said. "But there's a price beyond that that my children have paid, and that's not what was supposed to happen."After more than half a century, Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy says he's had enough of movies and will instead persue a career in photography. Nimoy says he knows his decision to quit acting will disappoint Star Trek fans, but adds they have done well without him. "The last time I was involved with them was in 1990. I occasionally hear they hold out hope for me ... (but) Spock is somewhere deep in the Klingon Empire on a spy mission," he told the AP. Tube
Looks like actor Tom Sizemore is out of a job. CBS has canned his police drama Robbery Homicide Division due to low ratings, Reuters reports. A network spokeswoman said the decision to pull the show from the CBS lineup was based strictly on low viewership and was unrelated to publicity surrounding Sizemore's arrest Saturday for allegedly hitting his girlfriend.
Music
Mariah Carey's first album since cutting a new deal with Island Def Jam opened at third place on The Billboard 200, Variety reports. Charmbracelet, Carey's eighth album, sold 241,000 units in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Despite the strong bow, Carey was bested on the charts by Shania Twain's Up! and Tim McGraw's Tim McGraw & the Dancehall Doctors.Rappers Queen Latifah and Lil' Kim and singer Macy Gray have recorded a hip-hop version of "Cell Block Tango" for the soundtrack to Miramax's Chicago. According to Variety, the studio is hoping the track will be a hit like Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink's single "Lady Marmalade" was for Fox's Moulin Rouge.The plug has been pulled on Guns N' Roses' first U.S. tour in nine years, Reuters reports. Clear Channel Entertainment released a statement Wednesday apologizing to fans for any inconvenience and said refunds would be available for the string of shows that ran through January. The statement gave no reason for the tour's cancellation, but it comes on the heels of two no-shows by the band in only one month of their tour.