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Justin Timberlake saying he's been in the studio with his boy bandmates isn't what it seems ... there's no new *NSYNC music on the way, but they did lend their voices to JT's album.

Here's the deal ... Justin gave *NSYNC fans the ultimate tease this week when he told Kelly Clarkson he was cooking something up with the boy band, leading lotsa folks to believe new tracks and potentially a tour was coming, building on their recent reunion.

But our sources at RCA Records are pumping the brakes, telling us ... Justin's tease was referencing *NSYNC members recording background vocals for his his upcoming album, "Everything I Thought I Was."

We're told when Justin, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick got together last year to record "Better Place" for 'Trolls Band Together,' they also used their time together in the studio to lay down vocals for JT's new offering.

So, JT's just hyping that collab ... background vocals for that one track, which we guess some might consider a reunion of sorts.

We're also told RCA Records honchos are adamant that when/IF *NSYNC does make a comeback, it needs to be the band's own sound and not Justin's which would also include JC singing half the leads with JT just like with all the hit *NSYNC records.

Unfortunately for *NSYNC fans, that isn't imminent ... we're told Justin is full steam ahead with his upcoming world tour and there are no plans for his old band members to join him on stage.

Of course, there's no doubt fans are clamoring for an *NSYNC reunion album and tour ... and that could become a factor in the future. Right now, our sources say RCA is concerned with Justin's first single stumbling out of the gate.

We're told RCA is nervous fans are upset they're not getting a true *NSYNC song, and that might be why Justin's "Selfish" isn't performing as well as hoped.

Justin Timberlake dice que ha estado en el estudio con sus compañeros de banda, pero no es lo que parece... ya que no hay nueva música de *NSYNC en camino. Lo que sí hicieron fue prestar sus voces para el álbum de Justin.

Justin le dio a los fans de *NSYNC falsas esperanzas esta semana cuando le dijo a Kelly Clarkson que estaba cocinando algo con la boy band, llevando a mucha gente a creer que había nuevas canciones y una gira.

Sin embargo, nuestras fuentes en RCA Records están siendo realistas, y nos dicen que todo el asunto se trata de los miembros de *NSYNC grabando voces de fondo para el próximo álbum de Justin, "Everything I Thought I Was".

Nos dicen que cuando Justin, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez y Chris Kirkpatrick se reunieron el año pasado para grabar "Better Place" para "Trolls Band Together", también utilizaron su tiempo juntos en el estudio para ponerle voces a la nueva canción de JT.

Por lo tanto, JT está promocionando esa colaboració. Son simplemente voces de fondo para esa pista, que suponemos que algunos podrían considerar una especie de reunión.

También nos han dicho que los jefes de RCA Records son inflexibles respecto a SI *NSYNC hacen un regreso, tiene que ser el propio sonido de la banda y no el de Justin, que también incluiría a JC cantando la mitad de las pistas con JT al igual que en todos los discos exitosos de *NSYNC.

Desafortunadamente para los fans de *NSYNC, eso no es inminente. Nos informan que Justin está a todo vapor con su próxima gira mundial y no hay planes para que sus antiguos miembros de la banda se unan con él en el escenario.

Por supuesto, no hay duda de que los fans están clamando por un álbum de reunión de *NSYNC y una gira. En este momento, nuestras fuentes dicen que RCA está preocupado con el primer single de Justin tropezar fuera de la puerta.

Nos dicen que RCA está nerviosa porque los fans están molestos porque no están recibiendo una verdadera canción de *NSYNC, y que podría ser la razón por la que "Selfish" de Justin no está funcionando tan bien como se esperaba.

One of the most famous casino resorts in Las Vegas is closing, and one of its longtime headliners says it spells trouble for Sin City entertainers.

The Tropicana announced this week it's shuttering in April, and will ultimately be demolished to make way for a new baseball stadium being built for the Las Vegas Athletics, the MLB team relocating from Oakland.

Murray The Magician, who has a residency at the Tropicana, tells TMZ ... the impending closure could create major problems for performers who've been doing their thing at the property.

As the 'AGT' alum explains, the Las Vegas Strip is hypercompetitive for entertainers -- there are more than 70 shows a night on the 2.5-mile stretch, with only so much wealth to go around ... and the Tropicana closing eliminates 2 venues.

So, some acts are going to be left out in the cold.

There's a historical layer to this too ... the Tropicana's been a launching pad for so many Vegas performers, and Murray says the property changed the way folks are entertained in Sin City.

Siegfried and Roy got their start at the Tropicana, and Murray says without them there would be no Cirque du Soleil. The Tropicana also hosted the Folies Bergere for nearly half a century, and it's where Gladys Knight and Wayne Newton once had residencies.

Murray does his show at the Laugh Factory at the Tropicana, and the property also hosts tribute shows for Michael Jackson and Prince.

For what it's worth, there are reports the "MJ Live" and "Purple Reign" tribute shows are relocating to new spots in Vegas -- and, likewise, Murray says he's sticking with the Laugh Factory, which is finishing a deal to move on the Strip.

Chrisean Rock mostró un poco de tinta fresca la semana pasada, revelando la cara de su novio, Blueface, y mientras algunos pensaban que no era real... nos dicen todo lo contrario.

El propietario de la tienda de tatuajes Lakimii -donde Chrisean se hizo este trabajo- nos dice que la estrella de la realidad se acercó para este nuevo tatuaje el sábado pasado y mientras que normalmente tienen una política contra la aguja en la cara de alguien, hicieron una excepción para Chrisean.

Nos dicen que este trabajo tomó alrededor de 4 horas en total para completar, lo cual es evidente en lo detallado y elaborado que es. No se sabe si le cobraron o no, pero el propietario, Timo, nos dice que ya le han hecho tatuajes en el pasado, así que están familiarizados con ella como cliente.

De todos modos, puedes echarle un vistazo al tatuaje con más detalle aquí. Mientras que ha habido algunos creen que es falso, Timo insiste en que es real.

Ciertamente se pueden ver sus poros abiertos y la tinta llenándolos. Además, su cabeza está ligeramente afeitada alrededor de la zona en cuestión, lo que es un signo revelador de que está a punto de hacerse un tatuaje.

Hay un puñado de personas que todavía son escépticos acerca del tatuaje, pero por lo que parece, Chrisean parece haber sido atacada de nuevo, esto después de volver a dedicarse a Blueface, que está actualmente entre las rejas por una violación de libertad condicional en Los Ángeles.

Ella ciertamente está esperando a que sea puesto en libertad y sabemos que Lakimii también está emocionado. Nos dicen que el negocio está en auge para ellos desde el trabajo de tinta que hicieron para ella.

Y escucha esto, nos han dicho que el propio Blue también tiene planes de venir a entintarse, aunque no se sabe cuándo exactamente podría suceder.

Chrisean Rock showed off some fresh ink last week that bared the mug of her on-and-off boyfriend, Blueface, and while some thought it wasn't real ... we're being told otherwise.

The owner of the Lakimii Tattoo Shop in WeHo -- where Chrisean got this job done -- tells us the reality star came by for this new face tat last Saturday ... and while they normally have a policy against needling up someone's face, they made an exception for Chrisean.

We're told this work took about 4 hours in total to complete ... which is evident in how detailed and elaborate it is. No word on whether they charged her or not -- but the owner, Timo, tells us they've done tats for her in the past ... so they're familiar with her as a client.

Anyway ... you can take a look at the tattoo in more detail here. While there've been some who've believed this may have been a henna thing ... Timo insists it's the real McCoy.

It certainly looks like it could be based on what we're seeing -- you can see her pores opened up, and the ink filling them. Plus, her head is slightly shaved around the area in question -- which is a telltale sign that a tattoo is about to take place.

There's a handful of folks who are still skeptical about whether this is fake -- but from the looks of it, Chrisean appears to have gotten blasted again ... this after re-devoting herself to Blueface, who's currently behind bars on a probation violation in L.A.

She certainly seems happy waiting for him to be released ... and we know Lakimii is also stoked. They tell us business has booming for them ever since the ink job they did for her.

And get this ... we're told Blue himself apparently has plans to come and get some fresh ink as well. No word on when exactly that might happen -- he could be locked up for a while.

4:40 PM PT -- De acuerdo con los registros en línea, los Clenneys se enfrentan a cargos por delitos no especificados de fuera del estado - pero todavía estamos trabajando para confirmar exactamente lo que han sido dinged para.

Los padres de Courtney Clenney -la modelo OnlyFans que ha sido acusada de asesinar a su novio- han sido capturados por las autoridades... TMZ ha indagado.

Kim y Deborah Clenney fueron detenidos en su casa en Texas el martes en relación con el caso de asesinato ... y nos dicen que tiene algo que ver con la manipulación de pruebas potenciales.

Fuentes con conocimiento directo nos dicen ... los Clenney fueron puestos bajo custodia por las fuerzas del orden en el condado de Travis en una orden de Miami.

La acusación, por lo que entendemos, se reduce a una computadora portátil que pertenecía al difunto novio de Courtney, Christian Obumseli, que nuestras fuentes dicen que permaneció en su apartamento de Miami después de que fue asesinado en una discusión el año pasado.

Se nos dice que el padre de Courtney, Kim, regresó a su unidad para limpiar sus cosas en las secuelas ... y en el proceso, tropezó con este portátil - que se nos dice no había sido incautado como prueba cuando la policía fue por primera vez después del incidente.

Nuestras fuentes dicen Courtney dio a su padre la contraseña, y se metió en ... pero no encontró nada, pero un intercambio de criptomonedas en el disco duro. Después de eso, nos dicen que notificó al abogado defensor de Courtney ... y se lo entregó al equipo legal.

Nuestras fuentes dicen que todavía están bajo custodia, y los cargos exactos son un poco confusos, aunque nos dicen que tienen una audiencia de fianza en la corte el miércoles.

Rachel Leviss plans to keep tabs on the new season of "Vanderpump Rules" ... not 'cause she's a fan, but more so ... because she wants to see how they're gonna talk about her.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Rachel will, in fact, be tuning in to watch the season 11 premiere Tuesday night -- not just that, but we're told she'll actually keep up with the show as it rolls along in the coming months without her.

We're told Rachel intends to use her iHeartRadio podcast, "Rachel Goes Rogue," as a platform to respond to how she is mentioned and portrayed on 'VPR' ... depending on what is said, and if she feels she needs to set the record straight.

Rachel's not alone here, BTW ... 'VPR' fans are very much interested in how Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix and the rest of the cast deal with her abrupt exit following the Scandoval, which went down at the end of last season.

Remember ... Rachel and Tom got dragged across the coals at the reunion. As part of the affair fallout, Rachel went off to a mental health facility in Arizona and ultimately decided to leave the Bravo reality show.

Now, while Rachel will be talking 'VPR' on her podcast from time to time, our sources are adamant it's NOT going to turn into some general, weekly recap of the world she left behind.

Fact is ... Rachel's podcast is doing very well on its own already, so she doesn't need 'Vanderpump' to keep it relevant. She will, however, chime in as she sees fit.

Rachel normally spends most of her time on the podcast talking about her mental health journey and the impact the show, its cast and the Scandoval had on her ... and we're told the reception has been strong and 'RGR' hovers around the top of various podcast rankings.

Megan Thee Stallion's beef with Nicki Minaj has taken an ugly turn -- cops are getting involved to protect her late mother's gravesite, this after doxxing by her arch-rival's fandom.

The Texas cemetery where Megan's mom, Holly Thomas, was laid to rest after passing away from brain cancer in 2019 -- tells TMZ ... they've notified local authorities and increased security personnel at their facility in light of the escalating feud.

What's more ... we're told PSC will continue to monitor the situation as they take all matters regarding safety and security seriously -- and lately, things have been getting too real.

They do add ... as of yet, thankfully nothing has happened to the gravesite, but they emphasize they're on high alert regardless.

The extra precautions come after some of Nicki's "Barbz" -- AKA, her army of fiercely loyal supporters -- first leaked the location of Holly's burial site on social media ... encouraging others to go and desecrate her grave as a way to get back at MTS for her OG diss.

It all kicked off last week when Nicki distastefully cracked a joke about MTS' mother on the streaming platform Stationhead. Her exact line at the time was ... "You better go conjure up your mother and apologize. That's disgusting." It seems some of her fans took that to heart.

No doubt, ya gotta figure that was particularly heartbreaking for Megan to hear ... as she's been super candid and emotional over the years about her mother's influence in her life.

Megan has also been very open about what the loss of her mom has meant to her -- and by all accounts, it's been very difficult ... something that's been well-documented and discussed.

Now, Nicki did later explain that she only took the shot at Meg's mom cause MTS was coming after her own family. In particular, MTS seemed to reference Nicki's husband, Kenneth Petty, in her new track "Hiss" -- making a "Megan's Law" reference that many interpreted as shade toward Petty's legal trouble.

So, tit for tat really ... many felt Nicki had just gone too far, and doubly so for any one of her supporters who was seriously considering heading over to Holly's grave.

Riley Keough está tratando de luchar contra un cobrador de deudas del otro lado del charco que quiere que suelte un montón de dinero por una casa que su difunta madre poseía.

La hija mayor de Lisa Marie Presley -que ahora está a cargo tras la muerte de su madre el año pasado- acaba de presentar nuevos documentos legales que le pidien a un juez que declare que ella no está de acuerdo con pagar ningún tipo de deuda.

En la presentación -obtenida por TMZ- Riley señala que todo esto tiene que ver con una finca en Rotherfield llamada Coes Hall, una propiedad de 11 dormitorios que Lisa Marie aseguró con un préstamo del Banco Barclays el 2010.

Barclays está reclamando que Lisa debía un saldo pendiente de alrededor de $1.6 millones a Coes Hall y el banco afirma que Lisa garantizó el pago personalmente cuando tomó el préstamo. A raíz de su muerte, Barclays espera que paguen la cuenta de la garantía personal.

Riley dice que esto es falso. en su papeleo, dice que hay al menos dos razones por las que debería tener que pagar la deuda, para empezar, dice que ha prescrito un plazo clave.

Riley afirma que Barclays tenía un plazo para presentar cualquier tipo de reclamación hasta el 12 de enero 2024, el primer aniversario de la muerte de Lisa, que ha llegado y se ha ido sin ninguna novedad para el banco. Ella también afirma que Lisa solo garantiza el pago de intereses sobre el préstamo entre 2010 y 2015, por lo que la confianza no debería tener que pagar el capital pendiente.

Riley Keough is trying to fight off a debt collector from across the pond, which she claims wants her to cough up a lot of money for a house her late mother owned ... but Riley's pushing back.

Lisa Marie Presley's eldest child -- who's now in charge of the trust left behind after her mom's death last year -- just filed new legal docs asking for a judge to declare she's not on the hook for a fat tab that a bank is attempting to collect from the trust.

In the filing, obtained by TMZ, Riley notes this all has to do with an estate in Rotherfield called Coes Hall -- an 11-bedroom property that LMP brought back in 2010 ... and which she secured with a loan from Barclays Bank.

To make it simple ... Barclays is claiming Lisa owed an outstanding balance of about $1.6 million on Coes Hall -- and the bank claims Lisa personally guaranteed payment when she took out the loan. In the wake of her death, though, Barclays is trying to have the trust pick up the tab for the personal guarantee.

But RK is calling BS ... in her paperwork, she says there are at least 2 reasons why she shouldn't have to pay the debt -- for starters, she says a key statute of limitations has run.

Riley claims Barclays had a deadline to file any kind of claim on this -- namely, Jan. 12, 2024 ... the 1-year anniversary of Lisa's death ... which has come and gone without the bank filing legal papers. She also claims Lisa only guaranteed interest payments on the loan between 2010 and 2015, so the trust shouldn't have to pay down the outstanding principal.

Taylor Swift ha estado presente en los partidos de su novio Travis Kelce para animarlo, pero este no va a devolverle la mano durante su gran noche en los Grammy, aunque por una buena razón.

Fuentes con conocimiento directo le dicen a TMZ que el jugador de los Kansas City Chiefs va a llegar a Las Vegas el mismo fin de semana de los Grammys, donde él y su equipo estarán bajo un estricto horario estricto antes de enfrentarse a los 49ers para el Super Bowl.

Esto mata cualquier esperanza de los Swifties de que Travis Kelce esté junto Taylor en los Grammys como su acompañante. Estos se dieron cuenta de que su lugar en el Super Bowl significaba que ya no jugaría en el Pro Bowl el mismo día, y por lo tanto, técnicamente estaría libre para aparecer en los Grammys con Tay Tay.

Por desgracia, eso no va a suceder. Nuestras fuentes dicen que no hay ninguna posibilidad de que Travis aparezca en Los Ángeles este fin de semana. Por lo tanto, parece que Taylor tendrá que encontrar compañía en otro lugar o incluso viajar sola para la noche de glamour de este fin de semana, donde ella opta a 6 premios.

Por supuesto, este conflicto en sus agendas no parece ser un problema en el paraíso de estos dos. Recuerden que él acaba de hacerle la gran declaración de amor después de que los Chiefs ganaron su paso al Super Bowl tras una victoria 17-10 sobre los Ravens de Baltimore. Lo que significa, que están muy bien como pareja.

Mientras Taylor ha estado inundando a Travis de caricias y abrazos para apoyarlo durante sus partidos, muchos NFL'ers han estado criticando a la cantante por tomar protagonismo en los juegos, a pesar de que ella no tiene control sobre las cámaras del estadio, algo que ambos han dejado muy claro en diferentes oportunidades.

Por su parte, Travis es totalmente consciente del veneno dirigido a su mujer y le ha dicho a los reporteros que antes de los partidos discuten sobre cómo bloquear el "ruido exterior".

Afortunadamente para él, no tendrá que escuchar nada de esto en la gran noche de la música. Su mente está estrictamente centrada en el fútbol en este momento y su novia es más que capaz de manejar su negocio en el ojo público.

11:15 AM -- Travis expressed his disappointment over not being able to jet to L.A. for the awards show ... saying on "The Pat McAfee Show" he wishes he could go and "watch her win every single award that she's nominated for" -- but his day job simply won't allow it.

Just like we reported, Travis explained he will be traveling to Sin City on Sunday -- the same day of the Grammys -- and while he'll be supporting in spirit, he'll have to be with the team as they focus on bringing a Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City.

Taylor Swift's been showing up to her boo Travis Kelce's games to cheer him on ... but he won't be returning the favor during her big night at the Grammys -- but for good reason.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the Kansas City Chiefs tight end will actually be arriving in Vegas the same weekend as music's biggest night ... where he and the team will be on a strict schedule ahead of squaring up to the 49ers for the Super Bowl.

This kills any hope from Swifties that TK would show up as Taylor's plus-one at the Grammys -- as they all realized his spot in the SB meant he'd no longer play in the Pro Bowl the same day ... and would therefore technically be free to hit up the Grammys with Tay Tay.

Alas, it ain't gonna happen -- our sources say there's no chance Travis shows up in L.A. this weekend. So, it looks like Taylor's gotta find company elsewhere or even ride solo for the glam evening this weekend. ... where she's up for 6 awards.

Of course, the conflict in their schedule doesn't signal any trouble in paradise between the pair ... remember, he just dropped the L-bomb after the Chiefs earned their way to the Super Bowl following a 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. AKA, they're doing just fine.

While TK's been soaking up Taylor's PDA-packed show of support lately, many NFL'ers haven't ... blasting the singer for making the games about her -- even though she has no control over the stadium cameras ... something both he and she have made abundantly clear.

For his part, Travis is totally aware of the venom directed at his woman ... telling off-field reporters days ahead of the AFC Championship Game they frequently discuss blocking out all of the "outside noise."

Fortunately for him, he won't have to hear any of it on a huge showbiz stage -- his mind's strictly focused on football right now ... and his GF's more than capable of handling her business in the spotlight.

2:42 PM PT -- Kroy Biermann's attorney, Marlys A. Bergstrom, tells TMZ ... her client denies the claims Kim Zolciak made to police earlier this month, adding "it's not true."

Kim Zolciak went running to cops earlier this month to accuse her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, of looting her expensive crap and trying to sell it ... and it's all on video.

TMZ has obtained police body cam footage that was recorded a little over 2 weeks ago -- when KZ went to the police station to file a report claiming Kroy had taken a ton of her stuff hostage over the past year or so and then tried to sell some of it.

It's a little convoluted, and you can tell 'cause even the cop Kim's talking to doesn't seem to understand what it is she's reporting -- but eventually, she spells it out ... claiming Kroy confiscated some items of hers (jewelry and purses, it seems), stashed them away in a safe and eventually sold at least one of those things for cash -- that's what she's alleging anyway.

In Kim's mind, this constitutes theft .. which is why she was here at the Alpharetta Police Dept. to lodge her complaint. She tells the officer that the many things Kroy allegedly took from her are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The officer ends up asking for an itemized list of the property she claims he stole -- but in the end, the officer basically tells her this isn't something the cops can do much about.

He tells Kim that the property she's describing sounds like they may be shared marital assets -- and since their divorce is still ongoing ... he makes it seem like there isn't much cops can do. Translation: deal with it in divorce court.

Another interesting tidbit here ... Kim claims she's attempted to retrieve some other personal belongings of hers from their bedroom at their mansion -- but alleges that Kroy's bolted the door shut, and that she can't get in there.

The officer explains steps she can take to address that situation ... and then sends her on her way.

Basically ... these two are still fighting, and from the sounds of it -- they ain't sleeping together right now, which we know has flip-flopped over the course of this nasty divorce.

This is just the latest salvo in this saga ... more to come later, we're sure. BTW, we've reached out to Kroy's team for comment ... so far no word back.

Kim Zolciak fue corriendo a la policía a principios de este mes para acusar a su marido Kroy Biermann de saquear sus cosas y tratar de venderlas, y todo está en video.

TMZ obtuvo imágenes de la cámara policial de hace poco más de 2 semanas, cuando Kim Zolciak fue a la policía para alegar que Kroy había tomado un montón de sus cosas en el último año, y luego trató de vender parte de ellas.

Es un poco enrevesado, y se nota, porque incluso el policía con el que habla Kim no parece entender lo que está denunciando. Al final, ella le explica y alega que Kroy confiscó algunos de sus artículos (joyas y bolsos, al parecer), los guardó en una caja fuerte y los vendió, al menos una parte de ellas, por dinero en efectivo, o eso es lo que ella alega.

En la mente de Kim, esto constituye un robo... que es la razón por la que estaba en el Departamento de Policía de Alpharetta para presentar su denuncia. Ella le dice al oficial que las cosas que Kroy supuestamente tomó valían cientos de miles de dólares.

El oficial termina pidiéndole una lista detallada de los bienes usurpados, pero al final, este le dice que no es mucho lo que puede hacer al respecto.

Le dice a Kim que la propiedad que está describiendo podrían ser bienes conyugales compartidos, y ya que su divorcio aún está en curso, no es mucho lo que la policía puede hacer. En palabras simples: arréglate con él en el tribunal de divorcio.

Otra información interesante es que Kim asegura que ha tratado de recuperar otras pertenencias personales de su dormitorio, pero alega que Kroy tiene la puerta cerrada y atornillada y que ella no puede entrar allí.

El oficial le explica los pasos que puede seguir para hacer frente a la situación y luego la manda a casa.

Básicamente, estos dos siguen peleando, y por lo que parece, no están durmiendo juntos en este momento, lo que sabemos ha cambiado en el transcurso de su desagradable divorcio.

Leonardo DiCaprio está trabajando en una nueva película, lo que tiene sentido, ya que su campaña de los Oscar ha terminado finalmente, y no rindió frutos este año.

TMZ ha obtenido un video del actor en el set el lunes en el norte de California, donde estaba en traje completo, maquillaje y caracterizado para su papel. El equipo de Paul Thomas Anderson rodó una escena con al menos un par de tomas diferentes y Leo entra en acción frente a las cámaras.

Leo está interpretando a un personaje muy diferente a lo que nos tiene acostumbrados. Últimamente, el hombre ha interpretado figuras históricas en hisotiras de época ("Asesinos de la Luna", "Érase una vez en Hollywood", etc).

Aquí, Leo parece más un tipo moderno con mala suerte en un escenario actual. De hecho, se ve bastante casero y áspero.

Incluso exhibe sus dotes actorales en nuestro video, gritando en el receptor en un teléfono público, cerrándolo de golpe y cayendo con mucha emoción. El tío está en su salsa.

Aún no se sabe cuál será el argumento de esta película, que por ahora se mantiene en secreto, pero sí sabemos quién más se unirá a Leo a medida que avance la producción... Sean Penn y Regina Hall también han sido contratados para protagonizar, por lo que podemos asegurar que es un sólido elenco.

Un testigo ocular también nos dice que parece que la ciudad ficticia que están tratando de crear podría llamarse Baktin Cross, porque los carros de policía que pasan cuentan con ese logo.

Todo está aún rodeado de misterio, pero conociendo el estilo de Paul, parece que se está perfilando en la línea de "Licorice Pizza", "Boogie Nights", "Inherent Vice", "Punch Drunk Love" o incluso "Magnolia". Un dato curioso de Boogie Nights... Paul ha dicho públicamente que quería a Leo para ese papel, pero no pudo conseguirlo, y en su lugar eligió a Mark Wahlberg.

Ahora, por fin tiene la oportunidad de trabajar con Leo, y parece que están haciendo magia en la pantalla. Tampoco se nos escapa que Paul Thomas Anderson ha conseguido que muchos actores hayan sido nominados a los Oscar a lo largo de los años, como Tom Cruise, Joaquin Phoenix, Julianne Moore y otros.

Viendo cómo Leo se perdió este año por su película con Scorsese, tal vez quiere unir fuerzas con el talentoso director para ir tras la estatuilla.

Leonardo DiCaprio is getting right back to work on a new movie -- which makes sense, we suppose, since his Oscar campaign is finally done ... with nothing to show for it this year.

TMZ has obtained video of the actor on set Monday in Northern California, where he was in full-blown costume, makeup and character as he and Paul Thomas Anderson's crew shot a scene with at least a few different takes ... and LDC going all out while cameras were rolling.

As you can see here, Leo is taking on quite a different character than what he might normally do -- lately, the guy's been playing more historical figures in period pieces (see "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," etc.).

Here, Leo looks like more of a modern down-on-his-luck dude in a setting that looks like present day. In fact, he comes across as kinda homely ... and rough around the edges.

He even puts his acting chops on display in our video ... yelling into the receiver at a payphone, slamming it and slumping down with a lot of emotion. Dude's very in his element.

No word yet on what the plot of this film might be -- it's being kept under wraps for now -- but we do know who else will eventually join Leo as the production continues ... Sean Penn and Regina Hall have also been tapped to star, so it's a solid cast in the mix here.

An eyewitness also tells us that it appears that the fictional town PTA and co. are trying to create might be called Baktin Cross ... 'cause the cop cars that pass feature that signage.

It's all still shrouded in mystery -- but knowing PTA's style, this looks to be shaping up in the vein of "Licorice Pizza," "Boogie Nights," "Inherent Vice," "Punch-Drunk Love" or even "Magnolia." Speaking of 'BN,' fun fact ... Paul has publicly said he wanted Leo for that lead role, but wasn't able to land him, going with Mark Wahlberg instead. LDC was the one who got away!

Now, he's finally got his chance to work with Leo ... and so far, it appears they're making magic onscreen. It's also not lost on us that PTA has gotten tons of actors nominated at the Oscars over the years ... including Tom Cruise, Joaquin Phoenix, Julianne Moore and others.

Seeing how Leo missed out this year for his Martin Scorsese flick, maybe he wants another bite at the apple with Paul. Based on what we see here ... the homeboy's coming for that statuette.