Lucas says 'Indiana Jones' needs Ford to continue
NICASIO, Calif. (AP) — George Lucas says he's already identified the one person who can keep the "Indiana Jones" franchise going: Harrison Ford.
The filmmaker scoffed at the possibility of passing the famed fedora from Ford to Shia LaBeouf, the 22-year-old actor who played Indy's son Mutt Williams in this summer's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
"He is Indiana Jones," Lucas said of Ford. "If Indiana Jones wasn't in it, you'd have to call it 'Mutt Williams and the search for Elvis.' ... "Yeah, it's 'Mutt Williams and the Search for Elvis.'"
Lucas sat down with AP Television at his Big Rock Ranch outside San Francisco, where he said he didn't pay much attention to the reception from critics and fans to "Crystal Skull," a sci-fi adventure set in the 1950s. But he definitely sees a future for Dr. Jones. A fifth movie is certainly a possibility.
"The franchise really depends on me coming up with a good idea," Lucas said. "And that series is very research-intensive. So we're doing research now to see if we can't come up with another object for him to chase ... hopefully we'll come up with something."
Meanwhile, the 64-year-old has another popular franchise to nurture: "Star Wars."
Lucas produced the animated "Star Wars: Clone Wars," hitting theaters Aug. 15. It will be followed in the fall with the launch of an animated TV series by the same name, airing on the Cartoon Network and TNT. Lucas plans a live-action "Star Wars" TV series as well, and he's also looking into re-releasing the six "Star Wars" films using new 3-D technology.
"We're trying to do that," Lucas said. "We worked on some, with a company that was developing the technology a few years ago to convert films into 3-D, we worked with them. But the system works great. It's just not very practical. So what we've been working on since then is to develop a sort of practical way to do it. And we will get there. It's just a technological challenge."
The producer-director waxed nostalgic for the days when talking to the press wasn't necessary to promote a film.
"I like when you focus on making movies, you make movies and people go to see them," he said. "But there's this whole other industry that's been created which the world hasn't quite adjusted to or caught up to or figured out. It's the same thing with copyright and all kinds of other things where things are going around that I'm sure at some point will become more civilized. I'm just waiting. Like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, I'll go out and adopt twins if they'll pay me $14 million to do it."
Mac in stable condition, expects release in weeks
CHICAGO (AP) — A spokeswoman for Bernie Mac says the actor is responding well to treatment for pneumonia and hopes to be released in the next few weeks.
Publicist Danica Smith said yesterday in a statement that Mac's condition is "stable." Smith first announced on Aug. 1 that Mac was hospitalized in Chicago.
Smith has said the pneumonia isn't related to an inflammatory lung disease Mac also has. That condition has been in remission since 2005.
The Chicago native made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
The comedian starred in the critically acclaimed Fox television series "The Bernie Mac Show." His film credits include roles in the "Ocean's Eleven" franchise.
Denzel Washington gives $100K to save high school sports in New York
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (AP) — With one gift, actor Denzel Washington has doubled the amount raised in an attempt to save the highly ranked sports programs at a high school where he grew up just north of New York City.
Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young says the Oscar winner has donated $100,000 to help Mount Vernon High School.
It will take $950,000 to replace the funding lost when taxpayers voted down the school budget, but officials say they can run fall sports if they have $300,000 by Monday.
Washington's gift brings the total raised to $200,000.
Spokeswoman Desiree Grand says the school board is optimistic.
Washington didn't go to Mount Vernon High School. But the star of "Remember the Titans" credits the local Boys & Girls Club with his success.
Elvis' peacock jumpsuit sells for $300K
NEW YORK (AP) — Elvis Presley's favorite performance costume, the peacock jumpsuit, sold for $300,000 yesterday, making it the most expensive piece of Elvis memorabilia sold at auction.
The online sale by auctioneer Gotta Have It! ended at 3 a.m. The pre-sale estimate was $275,000 to $325,000.
The white outfit with a plunging V-neck and high collar features a blue-and-gold peacock design hand-embroidered on the front and back and along the pant legs.
It is cinched at the waist by a wide belt decorated in gold medallions in a design resembling the eye of a peacock feather.
The auctioneer described the seller as "a big Elvis collector" and declined to say who bought it.
Presley paid $10,000 to have the outfit made by Los Angeles designer Bill Belew, who created all of The King's stage wardrobe between 1968-1977. It captured the rock 'n' roll legend's fascination with peacocks as a good luck symbol, and the auction house said it was among his favorite Belew designs.
Elvis first wore the costume at the Forum in Los Angeles on May 11, 1974, and later for the cover of his album "Promised Land."
The previous record for an Elvis collectible is $295,000 for his 1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II.
The most ever paid previously for one of his stage costumes, the so-called aloha cape, which was worn during one of his last television shows, was $105,250. Both were sold at a 1999 auction at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., run by Guernsey's.
Lawsuit: Blige album has stolen tune used for iPod
NEW YORK (AP) — Grammy-winning singer Mary J. Blige has been sued in New York for $2 million by a company that says she stole some of the music she used on her latest hit album and in an iPod commercial.
The Drama Family Entertainment company filed the lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday.
The lawsuit claims the company suffered copyright infringement because the singer's "Growing Pains" album contains the song "Work That." The suit says the song was created by a producer who worked for the company at the time.
The song was featured with a silhouetted Blige in an iPod commercial. But iPod maker Apple Inc. isn't named in the lawsuit.
A message left with a Blige lawyer yesterday hasn't been returned.
