Newbie Actress Lands Key 'Terminator' Role

Newcomer Kristanna Loken will be the terminatrix who goes up against Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines."

Loken, a 22-year-old actress who starred in such TV series as "D.C." and "Philly" and the film "Panic," has landed the much coveted role of the TX, a cyborg even more sophisticated than Robert Patrick's liquid-metal T-1000 in 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgement Day." She is pitted against Schwarzenegger's T-800 cyborg character in the big-budget film to be directed by Jonathan Mostow this spring in Los Angeles.

"T3" picks up the story a decade after the sequel, when a twentysomething John Connor reteams with his cyborg protector to battle the TX. Edward Furlong, who played John Connor in "Judgement Day," will not reprise his role.

Warner Bros. will distribute the film domestically in summer 2003, with Sony picking up most foreign territories. The film is reportedly budgeted at between $165 million and $180 million, with Schwarzenegger's fee accounting for $30 million.

New Line Sweeps 'Shag' Title Rumor Under Rug

The rumor that New Line Cinema had chosen "Licensed to Shag" as the new title for its third Austin Powers film whipped through movie fan Internet sites Wednesday like an Aston Martin on ice.

There was only problem: "It's completely erroneous," a studio spokeswoman said. "We don't even like the title."

New Line is still shopping for a new name for the summer release, she said. The Motion Picture Assn. of America hit the company with up to $15 million in penalties when James Bond franchise owner MGM protested New Line's failure to register the previous "Austin Powers in Goldmember" title properly.

Rod Stewart Tuning to J Records

After being released from Atlantic Records three months ago, rock veteran Rod Stewart has found a new home with Clive Davis' J Records. The terms of the multi-album pact weren't disclosed, but Stewart has already begun recording a new set for the label, with a planned October release date.

"The soundtrack to our lives would be totally incomplete without Rod Stewart," Davis said in a statement. "I am thrilled to welcome him to J Records and to begin working with him on an album that will show his one-of-a kind vocal talent like no one has heard him heard before."

Stewart, known for such pop standards as "Maggie May," "Tonight's the Night" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy," has been recording for four decades, rising to prominence with seminal '60s rock acts the Faces and the Jeff Beck Group.

The 57-year-old singer became a free agent after 26 years when he parted ways with Atlantic last December. The Warner Music imprint dropped several well-known acts late last year -- including Collective Soul, Tori Amos and Sinead O'Connor -- in a bid to pare down its roster of expensive contracts with stars perceived to be on the wane.

Stewart's last album of original songs, 2001's "Human," sold poorly in the U.S., but fared better in Europe, where the London-born singer enjoys a devoted following. A subsequent greatest-hits package "The Story So Far," released earlier this year, has moved 2.5 million copies worldwide.

In less than a week the 2002 Grammy Awards will be handed out. Who will win? Why wait to find out? Here's some predictions for the 2002 Grammys.

OOPS, WE FIX THE SHOW SO WE KNOW WHO WINS!

CBS has confirmed that it goofed in the judging of the second-to-last immunity challenge of Survivor: Africa. As a result, the network paid three contestants $100,000 each as second-place winners.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

Fox announced on Wednesday that David Duchovny will be reprising his role as Agent Fox Mulder in the two-hour series finale of the The X-Files airing on May 19, 2002.

Duchovny will also direct the April 28 episode, which he also cowrote.

'N SPACE!

'N Sync band member Lance Bass in talks with MirCorp to fly on a Soyuz taxi mission to the International Space Station in November 2002, his publicist confirms to E! Online. The trip, along with five to six months of pre-flight training, would be documented for a TV special. It would make Bass the youngest person and first entertainer to ever head into space.

If You've Got A Heart, Then Gumby's A Part Of You

On April 13, 2002, the great green one finally arrives on DVD.

Rhino will release the seven-disc "The Gumby Collection!" It features collected shorts ranging from The Gumby Show in 1956 to syndicated episodes in 1967. Presented in full frame and mono, extras include a miniature Gumby figure, an interview with the creator of Gumby, the original pilot episode, storyboards, promo bumpers, behind-the-scenes footage of the animation process, and more.

Also available is a single-disc DVD with collected highlights and promos only. Retail is $19.95 for the single disc, and $99.95 for the box set.

Oh, baby!

Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Me On DVD

Here's a bit of a surprise. Perhaps due to its mediocre box office and lack of Oscar nominations, Columbia has announced the pithy specs for Michael Mann's Ali, hitting DVD on April 30, 2002. The disc boasts no extras aside from the theatrical trailer, and is presented in 2.35;1 anamorphic widescreen with English and French Dolby 5.1 tracks and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Retail is $27.95