Movies

Marvin Gaye's son wants his childhood friend Lenny Kravitz to walk away from the role of a lifetime -- playing the Motown legend in an upcoming biopic -- and says he's shocked Lenny signed on for a project he calls "shameful."

Kravitz will play Gaye in "Sexual Healing" (working title) -- which reportedly focuses on Marvin's life in the 80s when he battled drug abuse and depression ... before his father shot and killed him in 1984.

Marvin Gaye III tells TMZ, "The producers and directors of this film are very wrong and shameful ... [They're] trying to do a film about a low period in his life. They don't even know the whole story."

Marvin's son says he and Kravitz were schoolmates -- and remain friends to this day -- so he wants to "talk to him about why he would do this."

Marvin Jr. tells us he and other family members are meeting with lawyers to try to stop production -- and added, "I would hope [Lenny] doesn't have any idea that we are against this film being done."

Fugees rapper Pras Michel's movie about being held hostage by Somali pirates is being held hostage -- by the film's director ... this according to a new lawsuit filed by Pras.

According to legal docs filed Monday, Pras hired Marshall Tyler back in 2009 to direct a documentary film called "Paper Dreams"-- about the rapper's real-life, death-defying incident with pirates off the East African coast.

In the suit, Pras claims he was "taken captive" by Somali pirates sometime in 2009 -- however multiple reports say Pras, and his film crew, merely witnessed the famous capture of the Maersk Alabama in April 2009.

According to his lawsuit, Pras says he put up $70k of his own money to cover filming and travel expenses --but says after the footage was shot, Marshall failed to hand it over.

Pras claims he's repeatedly asked for the goods, but never heard a word back. Now he's suing to get the footage ... or at least recover his 70 grand, plus damages.

A rep for Marshall says, "Pras is trying to assert ownership on material that Marshall owns the copyright to."

You can't just shoot a filthy porno and call it "50 Shades of Grey" -- at least according to Universal Studios, which is now suing several XXX companies for ripping off its "50 Shades" movie rights.

Universal filed the lawsuit against three porn companies, claiming they illegally made an unauthorized film -- called "Fifty Shades of Grey: a XXX Adaptation" -- as well as bootleg "50 Shades"-themed sex toys.

Universal -- along with Fifty Shades Ltd. -- claims the film isn't parody, and therefore isn't protected under the First Amendment.

According to the suit, "The first XXX adaptation ... does not comment on, criticize, or ridicule the originals. It is a rip-off, plain and simple."

The suit continues, "By lifting exact dialogue, characters, events, story, and style from the Fifty Shades trilogy, [producer] Smash Pictures ensured that the first XXX adaptation was, in fact, as close as possible to the original works."

The suit claims two additional XXX films are currently in the works -- and an accompanying sex toy set called "Fifty Shades of Pleasure" has already been released.

Universal wants damages -- plus an injunction blocking any further releases of the film.

Are you old? Are you aware that Adam West had a career before "Family Guy?"

If so ... you might be interested in buying the ORIGINAL BATMOBILE from the 1960s TV series!!

The iconic ride is hitting the Barrett-Jackson auction block in January ... the very first time the vehicle has ever been for sale.

The car -- designed by legendary customizer George Barris -- has been a part of his personal collection since 1965 ... and now if could be YOURS! (if you're down to drive a car without navigation, bluetooth, mp3 player, etc.).

Obi-Wan Kenobi WILL be returning to the new "Star Wars" movies -- at least if Ewan McGregor has any say ... telling TMZ, he'd happily reprise his role as the Jedi Master in the next installment.

McGregor was out at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood Tuesday night when we asked if he was down with the new movies -- and Ewan said Ew-betcha.

As we reported, Lucasfilms was bought out by Disney for $4 BILLION -- and the studio is already planning several more SW movies.

Zach Galifianakis' face can rest easy -- Mike Tyson tells TMZ he won't be punching the actor's lights out in the third installment of "The Hangover" in Tijuana ... 'cause he ain't in it.

Mike was at LAX yesterday when he told us the disappointing news ... meaning he won't be following up his 2 memorable "Hangover" singing performances (he did "In the Air Tonight" in the original and "One Night in Bangkok" in the sequel).

But Tyson was more focused on paying tribute to his fallen colleague Hector "Macho" Camacho -- and praised him as one of the best fighters of all time.

The ratings are in -- and Lindsay Lohan's "Liz & Dick" did NOT get the viewers it needed to become Lifetime's most watched TV movie of 2012 ... not even close.

According to Lifetime, L&D drew 3.5 million viewers during its premiere last night -- solid, but not the earth-shattering numbers Lifetime was gunning for with all the buzz around the film.

Lifetime's "Steel Magnolias" -- the most-watched TV movie this year -- attracted 6.5 million.

The numbers make "Liz & Dick" the fourth most-watched Lifetime movie this year behind "Drew Peterson: Untouchable" (with 5.8 million viewers) and "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" (with 4.09 million viewers).

Elijah Wood -- who plays Frodo in the new "Hobbit" movie -- is convinced ... the wranglers who claimed 27 animals died during the production of the film are just out for a payday ... but their diabolical plot will fail.

Elijah was at the airport in L.A. when we asked about the story -- that the production's animal handlers claim the living conditions for the film's horses, chickens, sheep, and goats were so bad ... as many as 27 animals died horrific preventable deaths.

Elijah called the story "heartbreaking" -- but said the complaints were grossly exaggerated, telling us, "I never saw any of those conditions when I was down there."

He added, "All of the technicians who worked on the film take the utmost care of the animals."

Elijah believes the timing of the complaints -- a week before the film premieres -- is extremely suspicious ... and tells us, the people behind them are just out for a quick buck.

One review of Lindsay Lohan's performance in "Liz & Dick" matters more than all the others combined -- Elizabeth Taylor's! Yep, we've got sources ... even up there.

As many as 27 animals -- from horses to chickens -- died horrific (and preventable) deaths during the production of "The Hobbit" ... this according to people who handled the animals ... though producers say the number has been grossly exaggerated.

Several wranglers who worked on location in New Zealand have come forward -- claiming horses, sheep, goats and chickens died unnecessarily from 2010 to 2011 because the Wellington farm where they were housed was full of dangerous sinkholes, shoddy fencing, and other "death traps."

According to the wranglers, some of the animals -- mostly horses -- would fall into the sink holes and break their backs. At least one horse had to be euthanized.

The wranglers claim several chickens were unprotected and were mauled to death by dogs ... some of the goats froze to death ... and a horse gashed its leg open on an unsafe fence. Other animals allegedly died from eating bad feed, contracting worms or other forms of negligence.

Two wranglers say conditions for the animals were so bad ... they quit in 2011 and complained to the production company about the situation.

A rep for Peter Jackson admitted two of the horse deaths were avoidable -- but says producers "completely reject" accusations that 27 animals died due to mistreatment.

As soon as producers became aware of the animals' living conditions in early 2011, the rep says they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to improve them.

The American Humane Association investigated the situation later that year and gave the production a passing grade ... noting that no animals died on the set.

But the AHA admits their grade only reflected on-set conditions -- and not the animals' housing facilities, which the group admits was subpar.

Nicolas Cage continues to chip away at his massive tax debt ... one sequel / three-quel at a time ... 'cause the actor paid off another tax lien, to the tune of $600k!!!

TMZ broke the story ... Cage was hit with a federal tax lien back in 2011 ... for $624,934.64. Seems he forgot to pay taxes on some really expenses gifts he gave out between 2004-2009.

According to the IRS all that's behind him now ... Cage is now paid in full, making him a super-duper-tax-lien-payer-offer ... considering last April he paid off another lien for $6 million. But Nick isn't out of the woods ... he still owes roughly $6 mil to Uncle Sam, but every little bit helps.

Apparently those new (old) roles ... i.e. "Kick-Ass 2", "Ghost Rider 2", "National Treasure 3" and now "Ghost Rider 3" are really paying off.

We're kidding ... "Ghost Rider 3" isn't real. Yet.

There are some advantages to not being elected President of the United States -- like you can go to see the new "Twilight" movie without making a big fuss ... which is exactly what Mitt Romney did this weekend.

After the movie, Mitt and Ann (with no bodyguards in sight) hit up a pizza place across the street. We're told he was super friendly to everyone, even posing for a few pics.

Lindsay Lohan is unfazed by the scathing review about her performance in "Liz & Dick" ... because she refuses to read it ... this according to sources close to the actress.

We're told ... Lindsay has a strict NO-CRITICS policy ... and refuses to read any professional reviews of her performances, EVER.

Lindsay has told friends she doesn't want to let the reviews -- positive or negative -- "take away from her experience on the project."

In a gas station ... not too far, far away (from our office) ... "Star Wars" actor Billy Dee Williams dropped a potential BOMBSHELL about the greatest franchise in the galaxy to a TMZ reporter.

It all went down when our guy Ryan (pictured below) decided he was in the mood for a refreshing Icee ... the blue kind, naturally.

Once Ryan -- a HUGE "Star Wars" nerd -- entered the gas station, he happened to notice Billy Dee ... who played Lando Calrissian in the original "Star Wars" flicks ... and totally freaked out.

Here's what happened next, according to Ryan:

"I told him I was a huge fan and worked at TMZ. I asked if I could film him for the show and ask about the new Star Wars trilogy, but he declined.

So I said, 'that’s cool … but everyone is dying to know, has anyone reached out to you about being in the new film?' He said, 'No.'

So I said, 'Well if the new trilogy is based on the same characters from the movies you were in, do you wanna be in it?”

And he said, 'I suppose so.'"

Translation -- LANDO'S DOWN FOR A COMEBACK!!!!!

We reached out to Disney for comment -- so far no word back.

BUUUUT ... in case you were wondering, Ryan says the Icees were delicious.