New Kids on the Block & New Edition Record Together



Just when you thought the New Kids on the Block reunion couldn't get any sweeter, word comes that the guys are recording a song with another favorite boy band: New Edition.

"Donnie Wahlberg had this idea for a few months, since New Kids had the idea of getting back together really," says producer RedOne, who worked on the song. "Donnie's been looking for that one track for all of them and I think we found it."

Last week, just days after New Edition took home the Golden Note Award at the 21st annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul awards in Beverly Hills, the group (minus Bobby Brown) went into an L.A. studio to record with the New Kids. The ensemble track, titled "Full Service," will appear on NKOTB's not-yet-titled upcoming album.

Police May End Probe into Madeleine McCann Case



Police in Portugal are planning to shut down the investigation into the May 2007 disappearance of toddler Madeleine McCann because of a lack of evidence, it is being reported.

The official end of the probe by the Public Prosecutor's office is set for Aug. 15, according to Portuguese newspapers.

Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, told the Associated Press the family had yet to confirm with authorities whether, indeed, the reports are true, but that no matter the circumstance, "Kate and Gerry will "never give up searching for their daughter."

Ending the investigation would mean that official suspects, including Madeleine's parents, would cease to be formally questioned.

In light of the news reports, Portugal's attorney general announced Tuesday that his office would look into keeping the investigation alive – or shelving it.

The British girl, just a few days shy of her fourth birthday, disappeared in Portugal's southern Algarve region over a family vacation. Authorities closed in on her parents and local man Robert Murat as formal suspects in the case.

All denied involvement. Since then, the McCanns have been through a roller-coaster ride of emotions, triggered by both false – and dashed – hopes for their child's recovery.

Paul McCartney Opens Up About Final Moments with George Harrison



I Want to Hold Your Hand. And they did.

So says Paul McCartney, speaking for the first time of his final moments with fellow Beatle George Harrison, who was succumbing to cancer.

"We held hands," McCartney, 66, tells Britain's Uncut magazine. "It's funny, even at the height of our friendship, as guys, you'd never hold hands."

"I sat with him for a few hours when he was in treatment about 10 days from his death," McCartney says of Harrison, who died in 2001, at the age of 58. "We joked about things – just amusing, nutty stuff. It was good. It was like we were dreaming."

Former Idol Star Paris Bennett Is Pregnant



American Idol's "Princess P" is going to be a proud parent, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

Paris Bennett, 19, the Idol singer who was an early favorite – and an early ejection – in the show's fifth season in 2006, is expecting her first child, the Minneapolis StarTribue reports.

The Rockford, Ill., native's mother, Jamecia Bennett, told the paper that the father "chooses not to be in the public eye." She added that Paris "has a ring" and is expecting to have a baby shower in August

Paris Bennett released her debut album, Princess P in 2007. News of the singer's pregnancy was first noted by MediaTakeOut.com.
– Michael Y. Park

Former Idol Star Paris Bennett Is Pregnant



American Idol's "Princess P" is going to be a proud parent, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

Paris Bennett, 19, the Idol singer who was an early favorite – and an early ejection – in the show's fifth season in 2006, is expecting her first child, the Minneapolis StarTribue reports.

The Rockford, Ill., native's mother, Jamecia Bennett, told the paper that the father "chooses not to be in the public eye." She added that Paris "has a ring" and is expecting to have a baby shower in August

Paris Bennett released her debut album, Princess P in 2007. News of the singer's pregnancy was first noted by MediaTakeOut.com.
– Michael Y. Park

Producer Says He's Helping 'Reinvent' Britney Spears



Grammy-winning producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins says he's working with Britney Spears on some "very dancey, really up-tempo, aggressive, catchy, and hook friendly" material for the singer's next album.

"I'm trying some new things [with Spears] … I've always worked with Britney and I love working with her," Jerkins told Rap-Up TV last week at Interscope Geffen A&M's Creme of the Crop dinner in Los Angeles. "I'm trying to reinvent her and reinvent myself with her project."

Jessica Meets Tony's Parents at Olive Garden



Perhaps bread sticks soothe nerves?

Jessica Simpson, 27, met beau Tony Romo's parents on June 27, when all of them had dinner at an Olive Garden in Janesville, Wisc.

Romo, 28, who grew up in nearby Burlington, was home to play in a golf tournament.

But making a reservation at the Olive Garden surprised even the restaurant’s general manager. "We thought it was a big joke," said Doug Belfanz. "Jessica Simpson's not going to the Olive Garden in Janesville, Wisconsin!"

Yep, actually, she did. Simpson, wearing a casual blouse and blue jeans, walked in holding hands with Romo, who wore a T-shirt and baseball cap.

Amanda Seyfried Gushes Over Her 'Studly' Mamma Mia! Costars



Mamma Mia! star Amanda Seyfried gets very excited if you mention a certain British actor and a former Bond man.

"He's so sexy, Colin Firth, so sexy [and] will always be," Seyfried, 22, told Entertainment Tonight as she giggled about her Mamma Mia! costar.

And she feels equally as lucky when it comes to sharing the screen with another handsome actor: Pierce Brosnan.

"Shooting in the summer of '07 on the 007 [sound]stage with a 007, that's one of the things he said to me, and I was like, 'You're right, I am lucky,' because he's a studly, studly man!" the actress says.

Seyfried plays Meryl Streep's daughter in the film inspired by the music of ABBA and based on the hit starge musical. Firth and Brosnan both play Streep's ex-boyfriends – one of which could be the father of Seyfried's character. The film is out July 18.

"I can't help smiling. I have all these amazing people in my life now from the movie," says Seyfried, who also costars in the HBO series Big Love and starred opposite Lindsay Lohan in the teen hit Mean Girls.

The young actress admits she was nervous to meet Streep for the first time.

"I almost fainted because it was such a big deal for her to accept me, especially playing her daughter," Seyfried says. "She is the most gracious, graceful woman I have ever met in my life."

Blake Lively Spearheads Hollywood's New Wave



Blake Lively's character may have trouble fitting into New York society in Gossip Girl, but she's the toast of Hollywood in the August issue of Vanity Fair.

Along with Kristen Stewart, Emma Roberts and Amanda Seyfried, Lively's crowned one of the most promising young stars in the era of YouTube and Gawker, where celebrity comes faster – and harder – than ever before.

"Boundaries dissolve everywhere they turn their pretty heads," observes the magazine.

Others included in the pantheon of next-generation A-listers include the Jonas Brothers; Jonah Hill, Emma Stone and Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Superbad; Judd Apatow regularJay Baruchel; The 40-Year-Old Virgin's Kat Dennings; Juno's Olivia Thirlby; Transformers' Rachael Taylor; Weeds' Hunter Parrish; Zöe Kravitz; Rob Brown; Michael Angarano; Josh Peck; Summer Bishil; and Amber Heard. Also on the list: seemingly the entire cast of Gossip Girl, including Jessica Szohr, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick, Leighton Meester, Taylor Momsen and Penn Badgley.

David Beckham 'Honored' U.S. Fans Come to See Him



L.A. Galaxy star David Beckham may not have won Sunday's match against D.C. United, but the star gave the crowd a thrill anyway when he showed off his famous abs at the end of his team's game.

In accordance with international soccer custom, he exchanged jerseys with D.C. United player Gonzalo Martinez after Beckham's team lost the 90-minute game at Washington, D.C.'s RFK Stadium, 4-1.

Despite being disappointed by the loss, the British soccer star, 33, told reporters at the post-game press briefing that he took comfort in the large number of fans who showed up to watch the game – many of them wearing Beckham T-shirts.

"It's an amazing honor for me, you know, to pull into most stadiums around the U.S. and see the amount of shirts and the amount of kids and people that have got my name on the back of their shirts. I'm honored by that," said the midfielder. "But you know, we need to win games. That's the most important thing."
– Susan Mandel

EXCLUSIVE: Spencer Pratt Apologizes to Mary-Kate Olsen



Spencer Pratt has apologized to Mary-Kate Olsen for calling her "the less cute twin."

Pratt, 24, fired off a tersely-written statement to Us after Olsen, 22, told David Letterman The Hills star used to throw temper tantrums during their high school soccer games.

"I apologize for getting caught up in trash talking, but she brought up an emotional subject when she mentioned the soccer stuff," Pratt tells Us exclusively.

"I know Dave was just doing his job in asking her," he went on. "He's the best in the game at that."

Pratt even admitted he was a bit envious of the twin.

"I respect Mary Kate as a business-woman," he said. "I'm secretly jealous of her. I want my face on a lunchbox, too!"

Sources told Us that the Olsen-Pratt fight began after he sold high school photos of a tipsy-appearing Olsen to Star magazine.

Report: Amy Winehouse Calls Kanye West a "C--t"



Lunging at a fan wasn't the only controversial part of singer Amy Winehouse's performance at the Glastonbury Festival Saturday.

Near the end of her set, according to NME, the singer asked, "Are there any black people in the crowd?"

"Let's hear it for Jay-Z," Winehouse, 24, said. "The man has got bollocks to come here, and play the tunes you don't even know you remember. Imagine if it was a c--t like Kanye West. 'C--ts Like Kanye' - that should be his next album title."

(Her rep was unavailable for comment.)

Meanwhile, the man who was attacked by Winehouse at the show is speaking out for the first time about the incident.

"I saw a hat being thrown from behind me and it hit Amy's beehive," James Gostelow told the BBC. "She looked down, saw me looking up, and her elbow went for me."

The 25-year-old London resident says the encounter was a case of mistaken identity.

"She caught my forehead, then someone may have shouted something from the back, which is when she went in again," he added.

Footage of the singer's lunge was widely circulated over the weekend.

Gostelow, who provided the BBC with his tape of the incident, is not planning to file a police complaint. He's brushing off the incident as "all part of the Glastonbury experience.

"Not everyone can say they have been hit by Amy Winehouse," he said. "I'm just pleased I got to see her. She did a great act."

Last month, Winehouse was released on bail after being arrested for suspicion of drug use. She was questioned by police for more than nine hours about footage from January that shows her allegedly using a crack pipe.

The singer also went to rehab in January.

Rosie O'Donnell Laughs Off Split Report



Rosie O'Donnell is laughing off a report in Cindy Adams' New York Post gossip column that she is leaving longtime partner Kelli Carpenter.

"Rosie thinks that Cindy Adams is a lesbian but she doesn’t know it yet," a rep for the former View co-host tells Us.

"She's going to leave Kelli for Cindy Adams," the rep adds.

Adams reported Monday that the pair — who have been with each other since 1997 — "may not be so together anymore."

O'Donnell, 46, and Carpenter, 41, tied the knot in San Francisco in 2004. Together, they're raising adopted children Parker, 13; Chelsea, 11; and Blake, 8.

They also have biological daughter Vivienne Rose, 5.

O'Donnell recently declared she's waiting to remarry Carpenter until "it's legal everywhere."

Guy Ritchie Flies to New York to See Madonna



A somber-looking, still ringless, Guy Ritchie arrived from London at New York's JFK airport Monday and headed straight for Madonna's apartment.

Ritchie appeared composed and serious and dodged photographers' questions if divorce rumors were true.

The couple spent this past weekend apart as split rumors continue to swirl.

A ringless Madonna, 49 attended Sabbath service at the Kabbalah Centre in NYC on Friday and Saturday (along with her three children and daughter Lourdes' biological dad Carlos Leon).

As the singer prayed Saturday, Richie, 39, turned to pal Trudie Styler (who introduced him to Madonna) for support in London.

Until Monday, Madonna and Ritchie hadn't been spotted together in weeks (they were last photographed at London's Kabbalah Centre on June 3).

Last week, The Times of London reported that she had met with high-powered British divorce attorney Fiona Shackleton, who represented Paul McCartney in his split from Heather Mills.

According to The Times, Ritchie has been meeting with a lesser-known law firm, Forsters

It is believed that the couple (who wed in 2000) did not have a prenup, according to The Times. (Madonna is worth an estimated $600 million.)

Ritchie's mother, Lady Amber Leighton, denied any split rumors in an interview with London's Mail On Sunday. "They are no different to most other couples and we all know that being together can be hard sometimes and marriages are not always a bed of roses," she said.

Britney Spears Seeks Quiet Home for Her Kids



Britney Spears wants to move from her L.A. house to "a lower density, more quiet and less trafficked neighborhood," according to a court document filed by her co-conservators, father Jamie and attorney Andrew Wallet.

The singer would like a home "more accessible to parks and recreation areas" for her children, Sean Preston, 2 1/2, and Jayden James, 1 1/2, the document says.

Saturday night was the first time Sean and Jayden spent an overnight visit with Spears, 26, since she was hospitalized at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in January.

The sale of her L.A. home would be in "the best interest of [Spears], her Estate and her minor children," the document says.

Earlier this month, Spears was granted permission to sell the six-bedroom home. At the time, mom Lynne told the court that her daughter "intends to return to Louisiana," her home state.

Meanwhile, Spears and ex Kevin Federline are preparing for a custody trial, set to begin August 25. Federline currently has primary custody of their children.

Pete Wentz: I Made Out With Guys



Dad-to-be Pete Wentz has a confession: He's made out with dudes.

He tells Out magazine he first smooched a guy when he was 16 or 17, probably on a dare.

He experimented again around 18 and 19, he says.

His last same-sex make out?

“A long time ago,” Wentz, 29, says. “Probably when I was 22?”

The Fall Out Boy bassist — who wed Ashlee Simpson in May — puts all his experimenting in perspective.

“When I said that I make out with dudes, there was a slight sense of sexual rebellion in that,” he tells Out. “And I probably even made it a bigger deal than it was.”

(Asked to describe his sexuality, Wentz — who admits to having a crush on
John Mayer — says: “I’ve always felt this relentless heterosexual drive.”)

"Our culture bombards us with this idea that you’re not that, and if you are that, there’s something wrong with you, and then we’re going to call you that, and then it’s an insult,” Wentz says.

After Wentz once discussed his “possible bisexuality” with Blender, rumors floated that Joe Simpson, an ordained Baptist minister, had told Ashlee not to bring him home for the holidays.

He says that report was "such bull--t” and that Joe even joked about it.

“He was like, 'We should take a picture in front of the Christmas tree holding hands,'" Wentz says. Still, he admits, “There are definitely ramifications for what you say.”

In general, Wentz says people are becoming open to alternative lifestyles.

“The actual acceptance of gay marriage is inevitable,” Wentz declares. “It’s just like how the next generation of kids are going to all have tattoos.”

Jessica Simpson Calls Ashlee's Bump "Cute"



Ashlee Simpson showed off a growing baby bump in a midriff-baring top over the weekend in Los Angeles.

"She sent me a picture of her belly," sister Jessica recently said on The View. "She's popping, it's so cute!"

See Us' Baby Bump Hall of Fame.

Simpson, 23, and husband Pete Wentz — who recently revealed that he's made out with guys — confirmed their pregnancy in May shortly after they tied the knot in Beverly Hills.

"This is truly the most joyous time in our lives and we are excited to share the happy news and start our family," they said.

Wentz recently said he was "excited" to be a dad.

"The first time I ever went to the doctor's office and heard the heartbeat, I felt totally content and at peace with everything," he told E!.

Their pal, Lucy Walsh (daughter of Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh), told Us in April that they're "a cute couple, and they are going to have cute, tiny kids."

The newlyweds have already added a new family member: a 10-week-old puppy named Rigby, Wentz, 29, announced on their Web site.

Michael Lohan's Phone Message to Daughter Lindsay Hits the Web



A whiny voicemail message from Michael Lohan to his daughter Lindsay has hit the web.

In the audio clip, Michael apologizes to his daughter for repeatedly talking to the press about her life.

He says:

"I've been trying to reach you for a week now. I know that you were annoyed that I gave an interview and my need to comment about the people you are around, and obviously you took offense to it. Honey, I'm sorry. I am telling you, I just love you. And I promise you, I absolutely promise you, I will not mention your name in the press, at all, ever again.

"One of the reasons why I got so concerned is because we used to talk all the time. We were always texting, and then the texting was sporadic. You weren't returning phone calls, so I was concerned. Look, I love you, honey. Please, please don't do this anymore. Pick up the phone and talk to me. Everything from now on is between you and me. And I promise you, I will not go back on it, I will not break my word...

"I promise you, I'll keep questions out of the press, when it comes to you. I promise. Just please, please, honey, call me or pick up the phone. You need to promise me.

"....When I was out of your life, everything started to unwind — all these things didn't do well — and so on, so forth. And how people are blaming me because you're not getting roles or something?" (End Of Message)

Britney and the Boys Have a Sleepover



While Kevin Federline partied in Miami Beach this weekend, Britney Spears stayed at home...with the kids!

E! News can confirm that Britney had a 12-hour overnight visit with her two sons Saturday night at her Los Angeles home.

"The kids were picked up before noon on Sunday," says a source.

Counting Down to 300 Sequel



For Greece! For glory! For ripped guys in skimpy armor!

Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. are looking for a plot to hang a follow-up to 300 on, as they try to repeat the surprise blockbuster success of the 2006 flick adapted from Frank Miller's graphic novel.

Fanboys will be heartened to know that, according to Variety, original director Zack Snyder is being wooed for the next installment, which will be based on a new graphic novel from the acclaimed comic-book writer.

The problem is exactly who will be going to war this time around, considering nearly all of 300's main characters were killed off at the end of the first film, including Gerard Butler and his heroic pecs. Butler's testosterone-fueled King Leonidas led Sparta's small yet fierce army in a doomed but inspiring standoff against the Persians in the Battle of Thermopylae.

Miller must work out whether the new saga will be a prequel, a sequel or a possible spinoff headlining those who survived the brutal fighting, and whether there will be a number referenced in the title (150? 600? 3,000?).

The 300 follow-up isn't the only swords-and-sandals epic in the works. Legendary is also hatching a remake to 1981's Clash of the Titans under the direction of The Incredible Hulk helmer Louis Leterrier. Relativity Media, meanwhile, is developing a project entitled War of Gods. No word when those will unspool.

Snyder's next film, Watchmen, an action sci-fi fantasy following a vigilante who investigates the murder of an ex-superhero, hits theaters next March. And Miller is set to make his directing debut with an adaptation of his graphic novel The Spirit, due out this Christmas.

Pamela on Jessica: Just Kidding!



If ya think there's a blonde-on-blonde battle brewing between Pamela Anderson and Jessica Simpson, think again.

Reports that Anderson has lashed out against Simpson for wearing a T-shirt recently that read "Real Girls Eat Meat" have been greatly exaggerated...

Yes, the former Baywatch babe called Simpson a "bitch" and a "whore" during an Australian radio show, but her ###### was way more cracking a funny than battle cry.

The star of E!'s new reality series Pam: Girl On the Loose laughed when one of the radio hosts, Jackie O, asked her about the T-shirt and explained, "This is the first time I've heard about it."

When the other host, Kyle, suggested that Simpson's tee was more adult than animal themed, Anderson cracked. "She was not referring to actual, you know, cows and chickens. I think she was referring to men."

Meanwhile, I hear Anderson is driving to Las Vegas this weekend to celebrate her birthday (she turns 41 tomorrow). The roadtrip will apparently include a stop at the world's largest thermometer (it's 134 feet tall) in scorching hot desert town Baker, Calif., to cook veggie burgers on the pavement.

Yummy.

An Oscar for Heath Ledger? Knight Cast Thinks So



Heath Ledger's costars from The Dark Knight, including two-time Batman Christian Bale, took turns at a press event this weekend praising and remembering the late actor's intense style. A few of them are even lobbying for a gold statue on his behalf.

"Definitely," said Aaron Eckhart, who plays doomed district attorney Harvey Dent to Ledger's droll and very creepy Joker. "Why not?"

Fellow castmember Gary Oldman was more pointed about it.

"Heath had this frequency none of us could hear," said Oldman. "The Academy tends to overlook movies like this, but this acting is so good it's going to be very hard for them to avoid it."

His other Gotham cohorts marveled at Ledger's obsession with detail:

He patched together influences ranging from A Clockwork Orange to ventriloquist dummies to Charlie Chaplin. The result: a Joker so demented and creepy he makes Nicholson's 1989 version look like Elton John in a bad mood.

"He called me during preproduction from time to time to tell me what he was working on," director Christopher Nolan recalled. "He told me he was researching the way ventriloquist dummies talk. It was a bit peculiar."

But when Nolan finally saw Heath's Joker onscreen, he got it. Ledger was trying for a vocal style that would match the Joker's chaotic character; even his pitch would be unpredictable, the same way that ventriloquists' voices would suddenly switch from low to high.

"He's raised the bar," said Bale.

If the Academy does honor Ledger for his Joker character, it would be only the second posthumous acting win ever. The first went to Peter Finch for the 1976 movie Network.

Lindsay's Dad Donates DNA for Paternity Test



Michael Lohan is confident he's not facing his very own parent trap.

Lindsay Lohan's dad tells E! News he provided a DNA sample for a paternity test this morning and is now convinced that the results will shoot down a woman's claim that he fathered a daughter with her while he was separated from ex-wife Dina Lohan.

Solange Knowles: "I Don't Have a Life in Hollywood"



Solange Knowles doesn't want her three-year-old son, Daniel, to go into the family business.

"I'd love for him to be talented in other things," Beyoncé's 22-year-old little sister says. "I hope that he wants to be a...computer engineer."

Since giving birth to Daniel—when she was just 18—we haven't seen or heard much from Solange...

But these days, she's everywhere, because she has a new album to promote. Her sophomore effort, Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, will be released August 26.

This is as fabulous as it gets for Knowles. "I don't have a life in Hollywood," Knowles told me the other day while running errands in L.A. "I don't do s--t. Just work. I come home and take my son to the movies. I don't go out. It's only like the BET Awards or something like that, that I actually do something."

Then there's her serious side. Just look at the video for the new album's first single, the Pharell Williams-written "I Decided." Depicted throughout are archival footage and photographs from key moments in American history, like the Civil Rights movement.

"6 O'Clock Blues," a collaboration with Amy Winehouse's Grammy-winning producer Mark Ronson, hits on Hurricane Katrina and poverty, among other issues.

"I wouldn't say that I'm political, but I'm definitely aware," Knowles said.

But in the very next breath, she cooed, "I do have Obama fever."

She met the presidential hopeful at a dinner not too long ago. "It was crazy because I had all these questions I wanted to ask him," Knowles recalled. "But once I got in the midst of his presence, I totally felt like I was meeting a rock star."

Unlike her obsessively private older sister, Knowles has no problem opening up about her personal life. She married football player Daniel Smith while she was pregnant with their son, but they divorced about three years later. However, she won't let that spoil her dreams of finding love again. "I got married at 17, so I won't judge from that one experience," she said with a laugh.

So more kids on the horizon? "Yeah," she said. "Maybe I'll have two or three...or four!"

Green Hornet Scoop: Seth Rogen vs. Bruce Lee!



He's already the unlikeliest leading man in Hollywood, but are you ready for Seth Rogen: Action Hero? He is, kinda, as he preps for his tights-wearing close-up in The Green Hornet, set for summer 2010. But do his Knocked Up fans even know the old comics or '60s TV series?

"When you say The Green Hornet to people, the first thing anyone says is, 'Hey, Bruce Lee played [the sidekick] Kato on that show,'" Rogen told us recently, while out promoting The Pineapple Express.

Everybody knows the sidekick, see, but not the hero.

To introduce the world to Kato's second fiddle, Rogen wrote the script with his Superbad and Pineapple partner Evan Goldberg. Here's what they cooked up...

"For years we'd actually been trying to write a movie that was kind of about a hero and his sidekick," Rogen said. "When we heard The Green Hornet movie was up for grabs, we thought that could be the most perfect way to do this story; he's the only hero whose sidekick is actually more known than he is."

But can the man known for making gay jokes and insulting Matthew Fox kick ass? He'll just have to turn all his four letter words into explosions.

"In writing The Green Hornet, we have not hit many situations where you're like, 'You know what would make this scene better, if Kato said c--ksucker.'"

Well, not yet, at least.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of $300 Million



The $300 million club has a new member.

The final box-office numbers from the weekend show Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull moved into that exclusive, nine-figure territory yesterday.

The movie is the second 2008 release to crack $300 million after Iron Man, which beat Indiana Jones to the neighborhood by about a week.

Iron Man, which currently sits at $309 million, remains the year's No. 1 movie.

The ever-resourceful Dr. Jones, however, holds the overall advantage.

An even bigger hit internationally, the adventure franchise's fourth installment has topped $400 million overseas, bringing its worldwide total to $713 million, Paramount said today. Iron Man, by comparison, has done the majority of its big business stateside. Overseas grosses bring its worldwide haul to "only" about $560 million.

Among George Lucas movies, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is its producer's biggest non-Star Wars hit as a producer, per Box Office Mojo stats. Among Steven Spielberg movies, Crystal Skull is his third-biggest hit, behind E.T. and Jurassic Park, as a director.

Among Indiana Jones movies, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the top grosser—so long as you don't adjust for inflation.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, the series starter bumped down to No. 2 by Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, arguably had the more impressive run of the two installments, grossing a gaudy $209.6 million domestically back in 1981.

Still, a win is a win. And Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the first new Indiana Jones movie in 19 years, overcame minor qualms that the film would suffer from young moviegoers unable to relate to the veteran franchise and its veteran star, Harrison Ford, who, at 65, is seven years older than Sean Connery was when that actor played Indiana's father in The Last Crusade.

And the movie isn't done yet. Last weekend, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull made more than double the money of the finally tiring Iron Man. A couple more showings like that, and Indiana Jones may be the $300 million club's No. 1 member.

Jessica Biel Doesn't Have Many Friends



Which may explain why she's turned to blogging.

Biel made her first foray into the blogosphere over the weekend at MySpace Celebrity, where she revealed she only had four, or possibly six, friends. (We hope she's not counting MySpace man Tom, because that guy says he's friends with everyone.)

Short on embarrassing personal revelations (aside from the dearth of pals), the posting mainly sticks to her dog, movies she has in the works and some charitable interests.

And nothing about Justin Timberlake.

But it's her first attempt. If she keeps at it, we bet she'll be oversharing in no time.

Emmy Laughs at Sarah, Samantha, Frowns on Locke



As far as the Academy is concerned, Christina Applegate is right up there with America Ferrera. And so is Sarah Silverman, give or take a little polarizing ethnic humor.

Along with Ferrera, last year's winner, Silverman and Applegate have landed on the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' shortlist of thesps in the running for the 2008 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, according to the Los Angeles Times' Gold Derby blog.

While the writers' strike threw a wrench in the second-season schedule for Silverman's eponymous Comedy Central sitcom and shortened the first season of Applegate's return to TV in ABC's Samantha Who?, both arrived to winning reviews and will be returning to their respective networks next season.

Visa Appeals Exhausted, Boy George Buries U.S. Tour



Yes, the U.S. government really did want to hurt him. And yes, the plan apparently worked.

Boy George announced today he has been forced to called off his planned U.S. summer tour, which was to include a song-filled pit stop for his former colleagues at the New York Department of Sanitation, after his appeal for a visa was denied.

"I was really hoping that the issue would be resolved and that some kind soul at the U.S. Visa Office would realize that if the police in the U.K. placed no restrictions on my movements, that should have been good enough for them," George says in a statement.

Hobbit Director del Toro Talks Cast, Creatures



The two movies based on the Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit, may be a long ways off—hang on until 2011 and 2012, nerds!—but they're pretty much all Mexican director Guillermo del Toro gets to talk about these days. Sure, he's out promoting this summer's comic book flick Hellboy II: The Golden Army, but, like, what's up with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf and that dragon?

We got the big scoop from del Toro himself at the Saturn Awards, where he received a lifetime achievement award. Here's what he told us about The Hobbit's casting, creatures and story:

First of all, expect some crazy new creatures. If you've seen Hellboy or his epic Pan's Labyrinth, you know del Toro would go beyond Orcs and talking trees. He promises to respect J.R.R. Tolkien's and Peter Jackson's creations, but sees many more new ones. "I plan to bring myself to The Hobbit," he said. "No doubt about that."

So what's he working on? Well, you know those creepily talented kids who sit alone in the corner drawing in notebooks? That's del Toro. He sketches all his magical beings in personal notebooks, but now the studio wants to own his ideas. So until all the paperwork is done, "it will be sketched on napkins, or it'll be sketched on loose pieces of paper."

And even though The Hobbit was Tolkien's tot-sized adventure, the film version will not be The Lord of the Rings for Kids. "Tolkien had, in the last third of the book—I wouldn't say an edge, but had a somber ###### that normally would not conjure the term 'family.'"

And what about the cast? Who's gonna be the next Viggo Mortensen? Well, Gandalf is already locked up, as Ian McKellen has agreed to pick up his wizard's staff again. But the rest of the roles are wide open, despite what you hear about James McAvoy or anyone else.

"We'll cast whoever seems to fit the pages," del Toro said. Wannabe Hobbits may have to chase him down to New Zealand, though, where he'll be spending much of the rest of the year, checking in with the creature designs and the Middle Earth set.

"For me," he said, "it's like commuting to Burbank."

Ryan Phillippe: Fashionably Peaceful



We don't really know if Ryan Phillippe is the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, but the actor obviously likes to wear his desire for peace on his T-shirt.

Phillippe was spotted sporting the symbol while rug shopping in Hollywood Monday with his (now very public) squeeze and Stop-Loss costar, Abbie Cornish.

Unfortunately, the two-fingered gesture didn't extend to the paparazzi trailing the couple. "Go to hell," was the special message the actor had for the shutterbugs.

But by and large, Ryan's certainly not the only celeb who has been known to give peace a chance.

Will Smith Save The Last Action Hancock?



The reviews aren't great. The genre's iffy. Will Smith's the star.

As far as box-office business goes, everything should be fine.

Big things were expected, per usual, of Smith, and his less-than-usual latest, Hancock, opening Wednesday.

"I think it's going to be another Will Smith gigantic opening weekend," says box-office expert Paul Dergarabedian of Media by Numbers.

Dergarabedian predicted Hancock could make $75-$80 million from Friday-Sunday, and expected the film to clear $100 million, easy, over its first five days, from Wednesday-Sunday. An opening of that size would lift Hancock, the tale of an unconventional superhero, right into the airpspace of Iron Man.

Box Office Guru's Gitesh Pandya sees a slightly more modest opening weekend—maybe $65 million from Friday-Sunday. But he also sees an overall huge five-day gross—maybe as much as $110 million.

Like Dergarabedian, Pandya's betting on Smith, and not necessarily the movie, a superhero, action, comedy, drama hybrid that recently was compared to—oh, cruelest of putdowns!—The Last Action Hero by Variety.

"It's going to be a very big Will Smith opener because of star power and the action," Pandya wrote in an email.

As for the second weekend…

Suggested Pandya: "It should play out more like Men in Black II or Wild Wild West."

MiB II and Wild Wild West are two of the lesser-loved entries on Smith's Internet Movie Database page. But they're also two of the 11 films that Smith has helped push past the $100 million mark—MiB II grossed $190.4 million in 2002, per Box Office Mojo; Wild Wild West, mechanical spiders and all, came away with $113.8 million in 1999.

"Will Smith can open any movie," Dergarabedian says.

Smith's reputation says he's especially good at opening movies over the Fourth of July, which just so happens to be Friday.

Hancock will be Smith's fifth Independence Day-timed release. Of his others, each, with the exception of Wild Wild West, grossed at least $190 million—the heftiest, Independence Day, appropriately, weighed in at $306.2 million.

This Fourth of July, however, could be Smith's trickiest yet.

For one thing, the holiday falls on a Friday. Dergarabedian wonders if firework shows and other activities will keep audiences away from theaters on one of Hollywood's favorite date nights. (The original Men in Black, which costarred Smith and which also ran into a Friday Fourth of July back in 1997, made out okay—it ended up grossing $250.7 million.)

For another thing, Hancock is Smith's worst-reviewed Fourth of July movie on record at Rotten Tomatoes since, well, Wild Wild West. At one point today, the movie's Tomatometer reading stood at a chilly 32 percent, with 23 positive reviews outflanked by 50 "rotten" ones.

The Chicago Tribune called Hancock a "D-list project." The Los Angeles Times found it "bizarre and unsatisfying." The word "mishmash" was broken out by more than one critic.
Roger Ebert ("a lot of fun") and the New Yorker ("by far the most enjoyable big movie of the summer") helped represent the minority opinion.

In the end, none of it may matter. At least not for the next several days.

Says Dergarabedian: "A Will Smith movie on the Fourth of July is about as sure a bet as you can get…I think it's bulletproof this weekend."

TV Time for a Coppola



Looks like a new Wes Anderson film isn't happening anytime soon!

Jason Schwartzman is set to star in an HBO comedy pilot called Bored to Death.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, he'll play a a struggling thirtysomething writer with a drinking problem in Brooklyn who, following a painful breakup with his girlfriend, decides to emulate his heroes from the novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. He takes out an ad pretending to be a private detective and starts taking cases — solving some and making others worse.

If the show was to get picked up by HBO for a series, would you watch?

HBO needs a hit!

Their former powerhouse Sunday nights are dead.

[Image via WENN.]

Praise Jesus!



The Hills star, Heidi Montag, is still determined to be a singer.

But, this time, she's hoping taking it in a new direction….or at least milk the possibility for some press!

Montag has revealed intentions to record a Christian album.

Yes!

Wonder whose idea that was? We bet Spencer Pratt's.

What would Jesus think????

Well, Heidi says, "I have been the most religious person since I was 2 years old. I always felt this crazy connection to God."

God, that's just….crazy!

Montag likes to consider herself "kind of non-denominational Baptist."

And, during a recent interview, she mentions how she had once planned to devote her life to God as a missionary in Africa.

Really? Why didn't you?

No worries, you still have time to go to Africa and adopt a baby that Spencer would like to call Dunk.

Speidi are actually off to Africa this August, when they will "feed children and help build things."

Oh, and they're going to have their own cameras there to film. Of course!

As for the "feud" between Lauren Conrad and Montag, she says, "I don't even want to talk about that. There were rumors about a sex tape, but I had nothing to do with that. God knows the truth in all of this, and at the end of the day, that is the only thing that matters. Jesus was persecuted, and I'm going to get persecuted, ya know? But it doesn't matter to me."

Did she just compare herself to Jesus Christ????

That's ####### brilliant!

Spencer writes the best dialogue!!!!!

[Image via WENN.]

Retiring. Finally.



Eddie Murphy has revealed to TV Extra that his upcoming movie, Meet Dave, is one of his last.

The funny man says, "Fifty years (old) I'll have been making movies thirty years and I have close to fifty movies and it is like why am I in the movies…I've done that part now. I'll go back to the stage and do standup."

Amen.

He should have retired YEARS ago!

[Image via WENN.]

From Sweeney Todd to Terminator?



She's showing off her range!

Helena Bonham Carter may be joining the cast of Terminator 4.

Sources say she is in talks to play the lead villain in the 4th installment to be called, Terminator Salvation.

The deal however, is not signed yet, but Tim Burton's wifey is in serious talks for the role say insiders.

What kind of villain will she play?????

[Image via WENN.]

Everyone Wants a Piece of the Comeback Spotlight



This could be good…or really bad!

Molly Ringwald revealed in a recent interview that she would be up for doing a Sixteen Candles sequel.

Ringwald says, "It was something that I definitely wanted to do, but [writer-director] John Hughes wasn't interested, and I didn't feel comfortable doing it without his involvement. If we can get John to agree, I think it would be great. I think there are definitely a lot of people who would love to see it, and I would love to do it."

Perhaps, John Hughes knows what's best. Why mess with a classic?

What are your thoughts?

Do y'all want to see a sequel????

[Image via WENN.]

Fighting Over His Money



Everyone is after your money, even when you're dead.

With the passing of famed opera singer Luciano Pavarotti many questions arose regarding his estate.

According to Italian Law, half of the estate is given to the deceased's widow and the other half to the children.

But, Pavarotti had two wills drafted while dealing with his yearlong battle with cancer.

The first will divided it up according to Italian law, with half the money going to his second wife, Nicoletta Mantovani, and the other half to his four daughters.

Three of the daughters are adults from his 35 yearlong marriage to his first wife, and the fourth is his daughter with Mantovani born in 2003.

Mantovani's lawyer is now saying the family has come to a "friendly" agreement on how to divide up his estate. Though he declined to provide any details about their agreement with Pavarotti's three eldest daughters.

A judge is expected to confirm this new deal by the end of July.

Let's hope his three eldest daughters don't get ripped off from what belongs to them.

[Image via WENN.]

Sued!



Joe Francis was just slapped with a lawsuit from the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas.

The Girls Gone Wild impresario is being sued for $2 million in unpaid gambling debts dating back to February 2007.

A spokesman for Francis says, “As far as Mr. Francis is concerned, his obligations to the Wynn hotel have been fully lived up to per prior agreements."

A Wynn Las Vegas representative declined to comment.

Francis is currently free on bail pending his trial on tax evasion charges in Reno. A trial date has not been set.

His lawyers must be happy!

She's Got Legs!



The glasses are back!

While Madonna spent some much-needed 1 on 1 time with Guy Ritchie on Monday, her eldest went out with her pops.

Carlos Leon and daughter Lourdes went for a stroll around her Upper West Side apartment yesterday.

Lola looks like she's been taking some dance classes. Her legs are all muscle!

So jealous!

[Image via Storms Media Group Inc..]

THIS Is Lindsay's Secret Sister????



Say hello to 13 year old Ashley, the young girl rumored to be Michael Lohan's illegitimate daughter.

And that's her mom, Kristi, the slut that was having an affair with the ex-convict while he was still married to Dina.

Hmmm….

We don't really see the resemblance to Michael or Lindsay.

Where are the freckles???

[Image via OK Magazine.]

What Do U Think???





Just like Dina before her…

The mother of Michael Lohan's rumored illegimate daughter is doing a great job of whoring her kid out.

Blaaaake's Writing Twisted Sex Letters to a Fellow Inmate (A Female)



The last few days for Amy Winhouse have been pretty shit.

And now, it's been revealed that her incarcerated husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has been writing kinky sex letters to a lady jailbird named Melissa, whom he's never even met.

Brit tabloid The Sun acquired a number of Blake's writing masterpieces. And they're a doozy!

Melissa initially wrote Blaaaake wishing him luck in beating heroin in prison, as she had done.

According to the paper, Incarcerated soon started talking about bondage and violent heroin-fuelled orgies in letters to his prison pen pal. He reportedly imagines his first night with Melissa as 'free people' — romping in a restaurant toilet:

“I squeeze your throat whilst your s****** me and I ask you if your a dirty b***h.” He then described a deeply disturbing sex fantasy before signing off: “At most we’ve got to wait ten weeks for the best snog of our lives!! Miss you Lissy, love and rockets, your Blakey x x x.”

Does he say such sweet things to Amy???

Blaaaake even tells the prison chick he had dumped Wino after she confessed to sleeping with two men while he's been behind bars, but that Amy wanted to remain friends. He also said that despite the breakup, he plans on continuing his sexual relationship with the Grammy winner when he gets out of lock up.

That's not all!

Blake went on to write that Amy had seen some of the filthy pen pal notes and they turned her on:

"I’ve told Amy about you and read a bit of one of your letters. It turns her on and she wants to meet ya. I think she might write to you cuz she asked for your address…I don’t want her to know about all the personal things I’ve written to you about but you can tell her we write dirty, naughty letters to each other if you want.”

Blake also hinted that a THREESOME with Amy could be in the jail bird's future.

Ewwwww!

Poor Amy supposedly doesn't know the full extent of his plans to sex it up with the lady jail bird.

Amy was still declaring her undying love for Blake during her infamous Glastonbury performance on Saturday.

If they're gonna have a 3some with anyone, it can't be with that chick - it has to be with Pete Doherty!

[Image via Mavrix Online.]

It's Good To Be Paris Hilton



This is how she rolls - with a huge wad of cash.

$100 bills!

Paris reminds us she's much much richer than all of us while out shopping in Los Angeles on Monday.

Tres jelly!

[Image via SNAP-PIX.]

You'll Have To Go To Chinatown From Now On



eBay is in some deep trouble!

Yesterday, a French court ordered eBay to pay almost $40 million euros (over $60M US) in damages to Louis Vuitton for allowing the sale of fake LV items.

The court has now stopped eBay from selling four kinds of perfumes, which are Givenchy, Christian Dior, Guerlain, and Kenzo.

They will also not be allowed to sell six LVMH brands.

The court determined that eBay had committed "serious errors" by allowing the sales of fake LVMH goods.

They also said eBay violated the perfume sales distribution network, which was setup by Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior Couture.

Of course, eBay said they are going to launch an appeal, believing the court did not uphold copyright law.

A spokesperson for eBay has said, "This decision is not based on combating counterfeit material. It is based on LVMH's desire to protect its commercial practices and exclude competition. This is being done at the expense of the consumers and sellers to whom eBay is always offering opportunities."

Hmmm. They have a point!

The case, which started a year and a half ago, stated that eBay knowingly allowed the sales of counterfeit products on its site.

The court also issued eBay a cease and desist order preventing it from running ads for the perfume and cosmetic brands. If they don't oblige, they'll face a fine of 50,000 euros per day, over $78K.

Gosh. Why can't they run ads??? That seems a tad excessive, no???

A rep for LVMH says, "It is a major first because of the principles that it recognizes and the amount sought."

Michael HoHan Will Sue if the Alleged Baby Momma's Wrong!



As we've previously mentioned, Lindsay Lohan's spotlight-loving father has taken a paternity test to determine if he is (or isn't) the father of that Montana massage therapist's bastard child.

Daddy HoHan admitted last week he had a fling with the lady in 1995, when he was separated from Lindsay’s mom, Dina.

Well…the lady and her baby better watch out if the results aren't positive!

The ex-convict says, “If the test is found to be negative, she’s gonna be sued for libel and defamation."

Oh, snap!

Wonder what the woman has to say about THAT????

[Image via WENN.]

Pill Popping and Boozing



A rehab facility 'insider' sold Heather Locklear out to the tabloids!

The Melrose Place alum's mouthpiece previously claimed that the actress was receiving treatment at an Arizona facility for anxiety and depression.

But, a source with connections to the center (Sierra Tucson) treating Locklear tells InTouch Weekly that she's being treated for alcohol and prescription-pill dependency.

Heatherwas supposedly driven all the way from LA to the Arizona facility by boyfriend and Melrose co-star, Jack Wagner, to keep her admission to rehab a secret.

That didn't last very long!

A family insider also reveals to the magazine, "Over the years, she's had in-home detox sessions with a nurse, but none of it has ever worked."

Another source adds, "Two years ago, she attended a discreet women-only Narcotics Anonymous meeting in the San Fernando Valley."

Wow. Seems like she's been battling her demons for a while now.

Get well, Heather! For your sake and that of your daughter!

[Image via WENN.]

Talking About The Franchises



Christian Bale is one busy guy.

He has the premiere of The Dark Knight approaching this month and he's also starring in the new Terminator movie, out next year.

In a recent interview, Bale was asked whether there would be a possibility of a third Batman movie.

To that, Bale responded, "The possibility of doing another one is completely Chris Nolan's decision and if he's doing it, then absolutely."

Nolan is the film's director and co-writer.

Bale continues that Nolan's "presented himself with a huge challenge of surpassing this one I believe, and very much so with surpassing the Joker as a villain. You know, how do you up that? It's a very tricky thing to do. If anybody can do it, I think Chris can. So that's his choice."

You know Bale wants to cash in on a third film!

But, luckily for him, he has Terminator Salvation to make him even richer.

The film, being directed by McG, is due out next summer.

When asked about this movie, Bale says, "My feeling is that we have an opportunity and a responsibility and there's no point in making it if you don't achieve this of re-inventing that mythology and there's a great deal of potential for that, and that's what I'm attempting to do. Anything less than that would be us failing."

Will U be watching both movies?

[Image via WENN.]

Daddy Of The Year



As we told Gossip On The Go subscribers first…

Sources reveal exclusively to Perez that Michael Lohan is planning to sell the results of his paternity test to the highest bidding magazine!

How very private and personal of him.

How much is his sperm worth???? 5k???? $2500????

Oh, and magazine insiders tells us that Michael claims he's going to give the proceeds to charity.

HAHAHAHA.

Yea, we really doubt that!

Giving 5% doesn't count, Michael.

If you're going to give it all to charity, we want to see a receipt of the donation!

God Bless America Courtney



So….

She was being wheeled around Los Angeles in a grocery cart the other day because she apparently injured her leg.

But, having a brace on her foot's not gonna stop her from having a good time!

Courtney Love took a dip in the ocean in Malibu on Monday.

She also brought along her guitar, in case the paparazzi wanted an impromptu concert.

Is she gonna sing about the bones protruding from her chest????

Hey, at least she didn't wear a bikini!

[Image via kmpressgroup.]