Hollywood players flock to nerds' fest

Which festival, aside from Cannes, generates the most international film stories these days?

Toronto and Venice retain their significance but, over the past few years, the annual Comic-Con conference in San Diego has become the place to unveil news concerning films featuring Bangs! and Kerpows!.

At last weeks event, JJ Abrams, director of the upcoming Star Trek prequel, confirmed that Zachary Quinto, star of the TV series Heroes, is to appear as Mr Spock in the keenly awaited flick. Sure enough, when plonked beside the great Leonard Nimoy, the original Vulcan, Quinto was revealed to have just the right nose and chin for the job. The ears will require some work.

Elsewhere at Comic-Con, Jon Favreau, director of Iron Man, revealed footage of Robert Downey Jr as the Marvel superhero, while Steven Spielberg introduced Comic Book guy and his friends to the cast of Indiana Jones 4. Harrison Ford, Ray Winstone and Shia LaBeouf all looked slightly taken aback by the hysterical reaction.

Disney smells a rat in wine fracas

Walt Disney became embroiled in two separate public health stories last week. A few days after announcing the release of a French wine named Ratatouille in honour of the Pixar cartoon concerning a cooking rat, the studio was forced to backpedal furiously. The protests were of two types. Health campaigners objected to the association of an alcoholic beverage with a family film, while Californian wine growers appeared peeved that Disney had not plumped for a domestic product.

A Disney spokesman said the California Wine Institute had been relentless in trying to make this an issue, observing that the entire movie is based on a French restaurant and French food and wine. Still, plans to release the grog have been shelved.

In a separate announcement, the Mouse House declared that it was to bar smoking in all its own pictures and discouraging puffing in films from its Touchstone and Miramax brands. Cruella DeVille could not be reached for comment.

Woody Allen's reign in Spain

While audiences flee from Woody Allen films in droves, certain municipal authorities seem prepared to bend over backwards to facilitate the indomitable director. Unfriendly voices in Barcelona have objected strongly to the support, both financial and logistic, that the city hall has put Woody's way while he shoots in the Catalan city. The authorities have set aside almost €1 million to fund the untitled project and have provided police escorts for actors such as Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz.

According to Jordi Hereu, Barcelona's socialist mayor, the film will be a huge advertisement for the city that will be seen all over the world. The opposition is not so sure. "They spend money on this film, but seem to find it difficult to give money to Spanish or Catalan films," fumed Alberto Fernández, spokesman for the People's Party. Imagine the fuss if, like Allen's Scoop and Hollywood Ending, the new picture fails to secure a wide release.

Leno vs Lohan

The Lindsay Lohan soap opera continues. Last week the hideous Rob Schneider (not Roy Schieder, as one Irish tabloid had it) appeared on the Jay Leno show in a dress and proceeded to deliver an appalling impersonation of the young star, who was recently arrested for drunk driving and cocaine possession.

The next day, Dina Lohan, the actor's mother, sent an angry e-mail to Access Hollywood. "We have a great respect for Jay Leno," she wrote. "But we are disappointed in the path he chose to allow a guest to make light of a very serious situation concerning Lindsay."

Meanwhile, some bloke is suing Lindsay for running over his foot. It never rains . . .

Irish Tudors honoured

Congratulations to the four Irish wizards who received US Emmy nominations for their work on the TV series The Tudors. Tom Conroy is up for outstanding art direction. Casting directors Nuala and Frank Moiselle have been nominated for outstanding casting. The smashing Joan Bergin is mentioned in the best costume category. The awards will be given out September 16th. The Tudors screens here on TV3 this autumn.