Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe BOX OFFICE READY TO KEEP IT ROLLING The U.S. box office is turning into one of the bigger economic success stories of the year, with a huge lead over last year's record-setting pace and bright prospects for big business later this summer. Advertisement Ticket sales are running 20 percent ahead of the 2001 pace -- mainly owing to the strength of such blockbusters as "Spider-Man," "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" and "The Sum of All Fears," along with strong performances by new releases and 2001 holdovers such as "Scooby-Doo," "A Beautiful Mind" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." This weekend's new releases promise to pump up the volume even more, with big things expected from the new Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise sci-fi thriller "Minority Report" and Disney's newest animated feature "Lilo & Stitch." The gender-bending "Juwanna Mann" -- think "Tootsie" in the WNBA -- is also expected to perform well. Advertisement Beyond this weekend, exhibitors and studios are looking forwarding to uncorking such promising attractions as "Men in Black II" (Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith), "Road to Perdition" (Tom Hanks, Paul Newman), "K-19: The Widowmaker" (Harrison Ford), "Austin Powers in Goldmember" (Mike Myers, Beyoncé Knowles), "Mr. Deeds" (Adam Sandler) and "Stuart Little 2" (Geena Davis). WHERE'S WOODY? The New York Post reports there are indications that Woody Allen is getting ready to leave his beloved New York City for Europe -- possibly Venice or Paris. The paper reported on rumors in Venice that the Oscar-winning director of "Annie Hall" bought a palazzo in Venice, and said that a tabloid will report next week that Allen is planning to relocate to Paris. In his latest movie, "Hollywood Ending," Allen plays a washed up Hollywood director who makes a botch of his comeback picture -- which he shoots while blind. In Allen's story, European audiences love the picture and the director gets a fresh start in a foreign land. Advertisement JAMIE FOXX'S NEXT According to a report in Daily Variety, Jamie Foxx ("Ali," "The Jamie Foxx Show") is working with South African producer Mfundi Vundla to produce a comedy for the South African TV market. The paper said Foxx contacted Vundla while he was in Mozambique shooting "Ali." "After Foxx's call I went to California to present him with an idea and he liked it," Vundla told Variety. He said his collaboration with Foxx will be a first for South African TV, and could stand a chance of being exported to other markets. "I don't know of any local television series produced by a South African and an international producer," he said. "Most local productions just end here, they do not make it internationally." Vundla is the creator and producer of South Africa's longest-running soap opera, "Generations." RULING CLARIFIES INTERNET MUSIC FEES The U.S. Copyright Office has announced a decision on royalty fees for recorded music delivered over the Internet, but there is some dispute about whether it constitutes a victory or a defeat for Internet music broadcasters. The office said online delivery systems should pay royalty fees of .07-cents per song -- roughly half the rate originally proposed by an arbitration panel in May. The head of the Copyright Office, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, determined that the earlier proposal was "arbitrary and not supported by the record of evidence." Advertisement Some analysts said the new rate will likely make it possible for Webcasters to stay in business. But Kevin Shively, director of interactive media for Beethoven.com, told the Washington Post the ruling is devastating for his business. "This will put us out of business," he said. "This is going to destroy Internet radio."
