MGM Theater Trailer Will Push Bond DVD

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - MGM is bringing "Die Another Day" back to theaters this May. Kind of.

Audiences who sit down to watch this summer's "2 Fast 2 Furious," "The Matrix Reloaded" and "X-Men 2" will see a new trailer for "Die Another Day," the most recent 007 outing that grossed $160 million in the United States.

But this time, the studio will be promoting the June 3 DVD release.

The 30-second trailer will be tailored to moviegoers at more than 900 theaters nationwide. MGM's deal for the unique promotion targeting other movies with similar demographic appeal was struck with Regal Cinemas nationwide and NCN, a company that provides pre-feature ads to multiple theaters in the top 14 markets, including the AMC and Pacific chains.

Other movies to which the trailer will be attached are "Daddy Daycare," "Bruce Almighty" and "The Italian Job."

The double-disc "Die Another Day" should easily become the top-selling 007 movie on the DVD format because that market has grown significantly since the last Bond movie, "The World Is Not Enough," was released three years ago.

But it will not have the kind of overall opening-weekend unit sales and revenue numbers of some of the biggest titles in recent months, such as "Spider-Man" and "Monsters, Inc.," as MGM continues to introduce the VHS versions of the 007 movies as rentals before repricing them to be purchased on videocassette months later.

Like all the 007 DVDs, "Die Another Day" will be loaded with seven hours of extras, including the first audio commentary by the actor playing Bond. Pierce Brosnan teams with co-star Rosamund Pike for his audio track, while director Lee Tamahori and producer Michael G. Wilson also will provide an audio commentary.

In other DVD news, DreamWorks has slated May 6 as the DVD release date for "Catch Me if You Can."

The film's retro-style opening credit sequences are emulated in customized menus for each of the many extra features on the two-disc set.

Co-star Leonardo DiCaprio talks extensively about his approach to the con artist character of Frank W. Abagnale Jr., who is also profiled separately in a featurette. The FBI's real-life investigation is chronicled as well.

Also announced this week for DVD release are Focus Features' "Far From Heaven" through Universal, set for April 1, and Warner's "Two Weeks Notice," slated for April 29.

'Late Show' Host Letterman Diagnosed with Shingles

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The eye infection that sidelined late-night television host David Letterman for most of this week was brought on by a case of shingles, a viral infection related to chickenpox, his doctor said on Thursday.

Actor Bruce Willis filled in as host of the CBS "Late Show" on Wednesday, while tennis legend John McEnroe and Regis Philbin from the morning show "Live! With Regis and Kelly" assumed guest-host duties for Thursday and Friday's shows.

The "Late Show" was already scheduled to be on a production hiatus next week, but it was not immediately clear whether Letterman would be ready to return the week after next.

When "Late Show" producers first revealed Wednesday that Letterman would miss that day's taping due to an eye infection, they had said repeats of earlier broadcasts would air Thursday and Friday. Letterman's absence this week was his first since his recovery from open-heart surgery in early 2000, when he missed several weeks of shows.

Before then, Letterman, 55, had never missed an appearance in his more than 20 years of late-night television.

A statement issued by Letterman's production company quoted the comedian's physician, Dr. Louis Aronne, as saying, "Dave is on his way to a full recovery."

Shingles is a viral infection of the nerve roots that typically results in pain and rash. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and occurs as a result of reactivation, possibly through physical or emotional stress, of the virus in a person who has already had chickenpox.

Playboy Is Looking For 'The Women of Starbucks'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lattes aren't the only steamy things at Starbucks these days. Much to the chagrin of Seattle-based Starbucks Corp., Playboy Magazine has issued an alert: "Calling all coffee-making cuties!" to pose nude for an upcoming issue featuring the "Women of Starbucks."

With the application process already percolating, the chain of more than 6,200 coffee shops worldwide, is anything but thrilled with the cattle call by the adult magazine to its coffee-making employees, known as baristas.

The company on Thursday offered a frosty statement: "Starbucks Coffee Company is aware that Playboy Enterprises has issued a call for entries for a 'Women of Starbucks' section in a future magazine. Starbucks is not affiliated with this project and does not endorse it. All further inquiries should be directed to the contact at Playboy, Theresa Hennessey."

Hennessey, at Playboy Enterprises Inc.'s Chicago headquarters, said the magazine was already getting a lot submissions for the issue. "Starbucks is such a big part of American pop culture, and Playboy is always trying to stay on top of the latest trend so it seemed like a natural fit, especially with all the beautiful women there," she said.

Hennessey said that while Playboy had not approached Starbucks beforehand, it was sensitive to copyright and trademark issues.

FAIR USE, FAIR PLAY, FAIR PLAYBOY

"However we use or title the piece, we'll be using it within the boundaries of fair use of trademark law. By saying 'Women of Starbucks,' that's using it an a descriptive manner within the boundaries of fair use," she said.

"If the girls want to submit their photos and want to do something in their off time, they should be able to do that."

The application deadline is April 1 for a publication date likely before the end of 2003.

"The photo department will sift through the applications and will narrow it down and try to see who would be the best representatives to put in a pictorial. Typically we have about 10 to 15 women for a themed pictorial in an issue," she said.

In recent years, Playboy has scored big with other corporate-themed pictorials such as "The Women of Enron," as well as 7-Eleven.

BAWA WAWA'S WESTS

Renée Zellweger, Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore lined up for this year's 22nd annual Academy Awards edition of The Barbara Walters Special, set to air at 7 p.m. on March 23 before the Oscars.

DREW CARREY Shuffled to Summer

Due to ratings struggles on Friday night, ABC has pulled THE DREW CARREY SHOW. They will resume new episodes in the summer.

Nicholson, Pacino Join STUCK ON YOU

Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino have joined the cast of the Farrelly Brother's STUCK ON YOU, starring Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear and Cher. In the film, Damon and Kinnear play conjoined twins. One of the pair wants to be a famous actor, and he has to convince his other half to go along with him to Hollywood. Once there, they are cast in a tv show starring an unhappy actress (Cher).

No Hartnett For SUPERMAN V

According to Warner Bros., Josh Hartnett has passed on the chance to play Superman in whatever sequel is coming. Warner has announced that their next three top choices are Brendan Frasier, Paul Walker and Matthew Bomer (ALL MY CHILDREN). Screen test deals are currently being negotiated for the three and Warner hopes to do so next week. Warner has said they are not looking for someone that looks like Superman or even can act well; they're looking for someone to sign a three-picture deal.

Bruce Springsteen Hits TV & Concert Stage On Friday

The hour-long Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band special airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT Friday (February 28) on CBS--the same night the group's tour resumes in Duluth, Georgia. The broadcast, taken from a show in Barcelona last October, will feature a number of songs from The Rising, including the title track, "Lonesome Day," "You're Missing," and "Waiting On A Sunny Day," as well as older material such as "Darkness On The Edge Of Town."

E Street Band guitarist Little Steven said that Bruce Springsteen and company were very pleased with how the show--which was originally broadcast live in Europe--turned out. "It was, you know, one of the most extraordinary audiences in the world, and it was just one of those freaky things where you do a great show the same night as you're doing a live broadcast--usually that doesn't happen," Little Steven said. "You know, you'll do a good show with a live broadcast, or with a film crew there, you know, but they're never...You know, very rarely are they great, for some reason, but this was an exception to the rule. This was...Everything came together."

Little Steven added that he's also anxious for American viewers to get a look at the exuberance of the European audiences. "It's different, man," Little Steven said. "The audience is different, the vibe is different, it's...You know, it's cool. I mean, there's something different about it that I think American audiences would love to get a chance to see actually, you know--get a taste of that European audience."

Little Steven previously described the Barcelona audience as being "berserk."

Springsteen and the band will play in the U.S. until March 11, and then tour Australia, Canada, and Europe before returning home for summer dates.