The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER’s Eriq Gardner reported MGM Studios is “suing over sequel rights” to “Raging Bull.” The studio on Tuesday “filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court against JAKE LAMOTTA, the 90-year-old former boxing champion whose life was portrayed by ROBERT DE NIRO in the 1980 MARTIN SCORSESE-directed classic, as well as RBII Production, which is said to be nearing completion of principal photography of a low-budget ‘Raging Bull’ sequel.” The suit claimed that the sequel is “based on a 1986 book co-written by LaMotta.” It also said that LaMotta and co-writer PETER SAVAGE “only had the right to sell the sequel to another company if Chartoff-Winkler Productions, an entity acquired by MGM, didn't accept the offer, and even then, only for terms no less favorable than what had been offered to MGM." IMDb reported “Raging Bull 2” is “scheduled to come out next year and star WILLIAM FORSYTHE, JOE MANTEGNA and PAUL SORVINO” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 7/5).
NAMES: The National Constitution Center in its Liberty Medal ceremony on Sept. 13 in Philadelphia will recognize former boxer MUHAMMAD ALI as a champion of freedom (THE DAILY)….Singers PHILLIP PHILLIPS, KELLIE PICKLER and DAVID COOK are expected to “provide the entertainment” at the MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby in K.C. next week. LUKE BRYAN will sing the national anthem and Pickler will sing “God Bless America” (MLB.com, 7/5)….NASCAR driver and NEMCO Motorsports Owner JOE NEMECHEK is auctioning the 139-acre equestrian estate, Finncastle, after “years of depressed real estate conditions made a traditional sale difficult.” The five-week auction period began last week. The “entire property has been on the market” since ’09. It was “originally listed at $10.995 million, then reduced to $8.4 million” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/6)….Former Vikings Owner RED MCCOMBS said that his foundation “is writing a $5,000 check to the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, which is collecting donations” for ANDREW OBERLE. Oberle was “attacked last week by two chimpanzees” at the Jane Goodall Institute Chimpanzee Eden in eastern South Africa (AP, 7/5)….8-Twelve MVP Bar & Grill, the joint venture between Brewers LF RYAN BRAUN and Packers QB AARON RODGERS, opened Thursday in Brookfield, Wisc. (JSONLINE.com, 7/5).
