SYLVESTER STALLONE has written the script for "ROCKY
VI" and is waiting for budget approval from MGM, according
to William Keck of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Stallone sees the
film "as a grittier, 'Raging Bull'-type epic," which finds
Rocky, "aging and broke, reentering the ring to raise money
for a Christian youth association." Stallone: "I've tried
to emulate a few things in reality, such as the GEORGE
FOREMAN story" (EW, 5/19 issue). Jay Leno: "Stallone has
written a script for 'Rocky VI.' Why not just use the
script from 'Rocky V'? Nobody saw that one" (NBC, 5/16).
CANNES DO: In Dallas, Charles Ealy reports that Mavs
Owner MARK CUBAN and former Mavs F DENNIS RODMAN are both
"doing the rounds" at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Cuban is serving as a panelist on the "future of filmmaking
on the Internet," while Rodman is promoting his latest film
"CUTAWAY," which also stars actors Tom Berenger, Stephen
Baldwin and Casper Van Dien (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/16).
MORE JORDAN REVIEWS: In Philadelphia, Stan Hochman
writes that the film, "MICHAEL JORDAN TO THE MAX" "doesn't
work because for every dramatic action shot, there are three
stagnant scenes of Jordan, sitting on a stool, center court,
in an empty arena lecturing about failure and success and
how one inspires the other." Hochman adds that there are
"too many talking heads, some of them duller than
dishwater." Hochman: "It's not a documentary, because it's
pure puff, lighter than a bowl of Rice Krispies. Thank
goodness it's not a commercial, or the Nike swoosh would be
in every scene" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 5/17).
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY's Owen Gleiberman writes the movie is
"nothing but a (big) visual footnote to [MJ's] career" and
gives the film a B- rating (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, 5/19).
NOTES: ABC officially dropped "SPORTS NIGHT" from its
programming schedule yesterday by leaving the show off the
network's announced 2000-01 TV schedule (WALL STREET
JOURNAL, 5/17)....MATT DAMON and Hilton Head Belfair Golf
Course pro TIM MOSS appeared on The Golf Channel's "Academy
Live" to talk about Damon's role in the film adaptation of
the golf novel, "THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE." Damon had
only one month to learn the game of golf, and in teaching
the actor, Moss said he tried "to keep it as simple as I
possibly could ("Academy Live," The Golf Channel, 5/16).
