Industry News Tidbits

By Jack August 18, 2000 9:20 AM

The following stories were ripped off without guilt from: Studio Breifing

REPORT: "EPISODE II" NOW HAS A TITLE

Episode II of George Lucas's Star Wars serial will be titled The Rise of the Empire, the News Corp-published The Australian, reported today (Thursday), citing industry sources.?Giving the report added weight is the fact that the film is currently being shot at News Corp's Fox Studios complex in Sydney.?The newspaper observed that Lucas has now completed 51 days of filming in Australia and is scheduled to move to locations in Italy and Tunisia in two weeks.?

GROENING REVEALS PLANS FOR A SIMPSONS MOVIE

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, revealed Wednesday that a film version of the TV series is in the works.?Appearing at a London news conference with the actors who provide the voices for the series, Groening said, "It's a little daunting coming up with a half-hour TV episode, let alone a full-length feature.?...?No deals have been struck, but we will do one." As reported in today's (Thursday) London Daily Express, Groening replied this way when asked about the future of the TV series: "That is a bit like asking a marathon runner if he is tired.?The series is now in its 10th year.?There is a shared vision and little disagreement about the direction of the show."

JERRY SPRINGER VERSUS LIEBERMAN

Speaking so slowly that at times he appeared to be dampening the enthusiasm of delegates gathered for the Democratic National Convention, Sen.?Joseph Lieberman, the party's vice presidential candidate, renewed his criticism of Hollywood Wednesday night but in less caustic terms than he had used in the past.?"No parent should be forced to compete with popular culture to raise their children," he said at one point.?Shortly after Lieberman entered the hall, TV cameras picked up Jerry Springer, a frequent target of the Connecticut senator, also going in.?"I'm walking into the hall trying to find the Ohio delegation, and then all of a sudden I hear people shouting, 'Jer-ry! Jer-ry!' " the talk show host told today's Washington Post.?"I'm thinking: 'What the hell is this? How would anybody notice I was there?' And then I saw my image on the screen.?That was pretty frightening." Asked about Lieberman's attacks on him, he replied: "Listen, he doesn't like my show.?That's fine.?It just shows he has good taste."