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Star Wars Episode II: Yes; Indiana Jones: No

Lucasfilm’s Jim Ward and Rick McCallum confirmed this weekend at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Indianapolis that the “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” DVD is definitely coming by the end of the year. Lucasfilm has reportedly already been working on the disc for over a year. The latest word is that disc should street in October or early November.

Also on the subject of popular Lucasfilm trilogies, Paramount has officially confirmed that the Indiana Jones films WILL NOT be released on DVD this year.

It’s about time!

Buena Vista has just announced full specs and street date info for three most highly-anticipated titles.

First up are the full details for one of my favorite movies from last year, Wes Anderson’s latest The Royal Tenenbaums. Unlike past Buena Vista and Criterion Collection team-ups, there will only be one version released on July 9, a two-disc Criterion Collection edition distributed by Buena Vista. Presented in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen with both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks, extras include an audio commentary by Wes Anderson, a making-of featurette, “The Art of the Movie” art direction and production design featurette, cast interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes and outtakes, “The Peter Bradley Show” excerpt with cast interviews, portraits by Albert Maysles, trailers, collectible multi-panel booklets with set design drawings, a director introspective and a DVD guide. Sounds terrific, and retail is $29.95.

Also just announced by Buena Vista are street dates for two Quentin Tarantino postmodern classics, a new two-disc special edition of the Academy Award-winning Pulp Fiction, and making its first appearance on DVD, a two-disc Jackie Brown. Street date is August 20 and retail $29.95 each.

SHOPPED AROUND

Filmmaker Anand Tucker (Hilary and Jackie) has signed on to direct Steve Martin in the big-screen version of his best-selling novella “Shopgirl,” about an aspiring artist who works at Neiman Marcus and must choose between two men.

Claire Danes steps into “Terminator 3.”

Ecstatic Exhibitors Ready to Send in ‘Clones’

Even before “Spider-Man” demolished box office records over the weekend, movie theater owners were already pumped up after catching advance screenings of “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones.”

“You cannot have wanted any better reaction from exhibitors,” said Rick Myerson, executive VP of distribution at 20th Century Fox. “There’s something for everyone in this movie.”

After Thursday night’s screening in Westwood, exhibitors rated “Clones” as significantly improved over 1999’s “Phantom Menace” and were most impressed by the special effects generally and Yoda’s fight scenes specifically.

The question of whether the fifth installment of George Lucas’ “Star Wars” saga can match initial grosses from “Spider-Man” will undoubtedly be mulled over at length for the next two weeks. “Clones” opens May 16, a Thursday, at about 3,300 locations — 300 fewer than “Spider-Man” — and will play on about 5,000 screens.

“We’re not looking to break any records in terms of how wide it goes out,” Myerson added.

If you are curious as to the new films coming out this summer, here’s the complete list of movies that are Coming Soon.

Enjoy the popcorn and I’ll see you at the movies!

“The Man Show’s” Jimmy Kimmel is in talks to replace “Politically Incorrect.”

Kurosawa’s “The Seventh Samurai” is going to be re- released!

Domo arrigato!

Get ready for “Dinotopia,” the three-part ABC “mega-series” debuting next Sunday that’s (pre)historic any way you look at it.

Dave Matthews, Bowie, U2 & Others Set For ‘Deeds’

A mix of rock classics by David Bowie, Yes, and Pete Townshend, a new Dave Matthews Band track, and songs by modern hit-makers U2, Weezer, Trik Turner, and Natalie Imbruglia are featured on the “Mr. Deeds” soundtrack, due June 11 on RCA Records.

DMB’s “Where Are You Going,” from band’s forthcoming new album, Busted Stuff, is the first single from Mr. Deeds. The track will impact at alternative, modern AC, top 40, and triple-A radio stations on May 15. A video for the track was recently shot in New York City by director Chuck McBride.

The 12-track album also features “Go To Town,” a new track from Counting Crows, Bowie’s “Space Oddity” with a vocal introduction by the film’s star Adam Sandler, Trik Turner’s recent hit “Friends & Family,” and Weezer’s “Island In The Sun.”

The producers of the soundtrack felt that it would be best to include classic rock originals, such as Townshend’s “Let My Love Open The Door” and Yes’s “I’ve Seen All Good People,” with the new music, rather than commission remakes. “We felt that very few soundtracks had been able to combine new music and classic rock successfully. We aimed for an album that would appeal to both young and old,” RCA Records Senior VP of A&R and Artist Development Bruce Flohr said in a statement.” This soundtrack has a very wide demographic because a lot of kids today are just discovering classic rock, and this may be the first time they’ve heard a Yes song, a Pete Townshend song, or U2’s ‘Sweetest Thing’ for that matter.”

Mr. Deeds, which stars Sandler and Winona Ryder, opens in theaters nationwide on June 28. The complete tracklisting of the soundtrack is: “Where Are You Going,” Dave Matthews Band; “Sing,” Travis; “Let My Love Open The Door,” Pete Townshend; “Sweetest Thing,” U2; “Wrong Impression,” Natalie Imbruglia; “Happy In The Meantime,” Lit; “Island In The Sun,” Weezer; “Friends & Family,” Trik Turner; “Space Oddity,” David Bowie (vocal introduction by Adam Sandler); “Falling,” Ben Kweller; “Go To Town,” Counting Crows; and “I’ve Seen All Good People,” Yes.