REPORTS HAVE MANN/SMITH ALI FLICK ON THE ROPES

          On last night's "Entertainment Tonight," Mary Hart
     noted published reports which claim that the MICHAEL
     MANN/WILL SMITH biopic on MUHAMMAD ALI "could be scrapped." 
     But Smith "doesn't believe it."  Smith: "Oh no, the movie's
     definitely going ahead. ... We start the movie in January." 
     Hart: "The Ali question reportedly revolves around
     negotiations between the studio and [Mann] to bring the
     project in for $105 million or less" ("ET," 10/16).  DAILY
     VARIETY's Claude Brodesser reports that Columbia Pictures
     "balked when Mann said he might not be able to deliver a
     picture at that price tag" (VARIETY, 10/17).  Mann could
     take "Ali" to another studio (PHILA. DAILY NEWS, 10/17).
          A GRIDIRON HIT: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Roger Cels
     reports that Disney's football film, "REMEMBER THE TITANS,"
     with DENZEL WASHINGTON, has brought in an "impressive"
     $64.2M after 17 days (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/17). 
          SORKIN'S RERUNS: Comedy Central has "picked up rerun
     rights" to AARON SORKIN's "SPORTS NIGHT."  A deal is
     expected within the next week (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/17).