Guns N’ Roses ditches Buck Cherry singer
Three members of the defunct Guns N’ Roses are still shopping for a front man.
Rockers Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum spent a month in the studio with singer Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson, former members of Buck Cherry. But for unknown reasons, Slash unexpectedly terminated the project.
“It was a real drag ‘cause the energy in that room was so amazing,” Todd said. “It could have been a really great thing if the egos would have let it (be). There were just too many chiefs in the tribe.”
ABC resurrects ‘Dallas’ for movie
Just when television viewers thought they could relax and get accustomed to their reality shows, ABC is reviving another television 
phenomena: “Dallas.”
The production company is making a movie of the 1980s soap opera. The two-hour special won’t just be a remake of the series, however. Focusing on the soap opera that went on behind the scenes, the show is said by some insiders to be more like an episode of “E! True Hollywood Stories” than anything else.
Producers struggle to cast fifth ‘Superman’
“Superman V” is getting a healthy dose of kryptonite in the form of casting difficulties. The movie, set to be released by Warner Bros. in 2004, has been plagued by rumors about who will play the Man of Steel. Josh Hartnett, Ashton Kutcher and Jude Law have already turned down the role.
Justin Timberlake is currently being sought to play Jimmy Olsen, and Felicity’s Keri Russell is being considered for the part of Lois Lane.
Widespread copes with Houser’s death
Widespread Panic pleased fans recently when it announced it is picking up the pieces, releasing an album and playing a tour.
The record, Ball, will be the band’s first activity since the death of former frontman and guitarist Michael Houser. Formerly the band’s leader and one of its founders, Houser died of pancreatic cancer April 15 of last year.
The tour will consist of 32 dates and kicks off in Madison, Wis.
James Gandolfini suffers HBO lawsuit
Tony Soprano is getting a taste of his own medicine.
James Gandolfini, the actor who plays the highly effective mob boss and family man on HBO’s “The Sopranos” is being sued by HBO. The lawsuit, which will force the actor to come back to work when the series resumes, is a response to the actor’s own lawsuit.
Gandolfini sued the network and Soprano Productions, Inc. in an effort to cancel his contract. He claimed the company failed to notify him in a timely manner that the show would run for a fifth season.
Many observers saw Gandolfini’s lawsuit as an attempt to increase his pay; through a renegotiated contract.
March 13, 2003