Top Story
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone raked in a record breaking $5 million in limited Sunday previews, Variety reports. Warner Bros. claims the Sunday sneaks were the highest single-day grosses in U.K history. The movie opens in the U.K. and North America Nov.16. Meanwhile, a special screening of Harry Potter on Sunday in Washington was greeted by protesters from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The group opposes Coca-Cola’s $150 million partnership with Warner Bros., accusing the soft drink giant of peddling junk food to children. The deal, signed in February, makes Coca-Cola the sole global marketing partner for Harry Potter.
In Courts
R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck is set to appear in court Monday for an alleged air rage incident on a British Airways flight from Seattle to London in April, Reuters reports. Buck has been charged with common assault on cabin crew, criminal damage, being drunk on an aircraft and disobeying an aircraft captain. The trial is expected to last five days.
In General
Fleetwood Mac is back in the studio to record its first album since its 1997 reunion. The group, however, will be one member short. Singer/keyboardist Christine McVie has reportedly retired from rock ‘n’ roll and is living in an English castle. The four-piece band will include drummer Fleetwood, bass player John McVie, and songwriters Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood has denied rumors that Sheryl Crow will help out, Reuters reports.
Brian Dennehy will portray former Indiana Hoosiers coach Bob Knight in a made-for-TV movie, The Associated Press reports. The movie, based on John Feinstein’s A Season on the Brink: A Year with Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers, will air on ESPN March 10.
Jay Leno led the 18th annual charity Love Ride on Sunday in Glendale, Calif. The 50-mile ride, followed by a barbecue and a concert, is expected to have raised $1 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and other charities. According to AP, riders included X-Files star Robert Patrick, Ian Ziering of Beverly Hills 90210 and daredevil Robbie Knievel.
Clive Barker (Hellraiser) and Todd McFarlane (Spawn) have signed a deal with Universal Pictures to produce a picture based on Barker‘s action figures. McFarlane Toys marketed the six action figures, Clive Barker’s Tortured Souls-Animae Damnatae, in limited numbers last July and promptly sold out, Variety reports.
Forest Whitaker is in talks with Twentieth Century Fox to direct aFat Albert live-action picture, Variety reports. The feature film is based on Bill Cosby‘s cartoon Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids that ran on CBS for more than a decade. The film is slated for a 2003 summer release.
Paul Newman will reprise his role as Battler in the teleplay The World of Nick Adams, based on Ernest Hemmingway’s collection of short stories. According to Variety, the teleplay will also feature Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, Brian Dennehy, Morgan Freeman, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow and will be presented at Avey Fisher Hall in New York on Nov. 19.
Sylvester Stallone is working on a new script for a fourth Rambo movie, PageSix.com reports. The story would pit Rambo against leaders of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Rambo IV could be ready by next year.
A set of old teeth belonging to Jack Nicholson will be auctioned off on the British TV show Auction World on Dec. 10, the BBC reports. Nicholson is reportedly upset that his teeth are to be sold this way and plans on buying the back. The set consists of a mix of small baby teeth and adult molars.
