London's Sunday Mirror reported yesterday that Leonardo DiCaprio is engaged in secret talks with Lucas to star as the evil Darth Vader in the next movie. The Mirror said the 24-year-old "Titanic" heartthrob has visited Lucas' Skywalker Ranch movie studio twice this month. DiCaprio's spokeswoman admitted Leo went to the ranch, but only to see a screening of the new flick.

DICAPRIO MAY STAR IN FOURTH GODFATHER (Giles Whittell, The Times)

TWO of Hollywood's biggest names are in talks over a plan to make another Godfather sequel. Francis Ford Coppola, director of the first three Godfather films, and Leonardo DiCaprio, star of Titanic, have expressed interest in a fourth instalment that would be written by Mario Puzo, the author of the bestseller on which the original film was based, according to the Hollywood Reporter. DiCaprio, 24, has said he would like to play the young Sonny Corleone, a character played in the first Godfather by James Caan. In the new film, Coppola would again direct and DiCaprio and Andy Garcia might play the same character a generation apart, never appearing in the same scene, the trade paper said. Speculation on a possible Godfather, Part IV has been around for at least five years. It was heightened by DiCaprio's interest, which would almost certainly guarantee healthy box office returns regardless of the film's critical reception. His next film is The Beach, set in Thailand and due out in the United States later this year. The painful process of aligning expensive talents that precedes such ventures was reportedly helped by Garcia, who earned warm praise for his role in The Godfather, Part II 25 years ago and is a friend of Coppola and DiCaprio. Mike Ovitz, the power-broker who founded the Creative Artists Agency and then failed spectacularly in his short career as a Disney studio boss, also appears to have had a background role in the negotiations. Since leaving Disney he has founded an actors' management company that represents DiCaprio and Garcia and has close links with Coppola.

"I WILL NEVER STAR IN ANOTHER VIOLENT FILM." (U.K. Mirror)

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has renounced violent films after one of his early movies was linked to the Columbine school massacre. The actor has told aides he no longer wants to be considered for parts in any productions featuring death and destruction. The 'Titanic' star has been caught up in the wave of revulsion sweeping America after the slaughter of 12 pupils and a teacher at the school in the Denver suburb of Littleton. In the 1995 drama 'The Basketball Diaries,' DiCaprio laid a teenage heroin addict who gunned down his teacher and classmates. His twisted screen character wore a full-length trench coat--just like those worn by Trenchcoat Mafia murderers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold who carried out the classroom killings two weeks ago. The parents of three pupils shot dead in 1997 in a school in Kentucky have already sued the makers of 'The Basketball Diaries' for $100 million. The families of the 13 Columbine victims are expected to follow suit, insisting the film inspired teenage misfits Harris and Klebold to mount their terrible attack. Worried British video distributors had the entire classroom killing sequence cut from the film rather than risk sparking copycat murders in the U.K. Even before the court action started, DiCaprio made up his mind he wanted nothing more to do with violent movies. Last year he pulled out of the starring role in 'American Psycho' in which he was to portray a crazed Wall Street money broker who fulfils his sick fantasies by torturing, maiming and murdering. He was replaced by Christian Bale. DiCaprio's decision stunned Hollywood because 'American Psycho' was based on fashionable Gen X author Brett Easton Ellis' best-selling novel. A source close to the actor revealed: "Leo is quite adamant he doesn't want to be involved in any more films like 'The Basketball Diaries.' He is not available for any of those standard shoot 'em up movies that big stars like him tend to be offered. People are offering him absurd sums of money to star in a Bruce Willis-type production where he would fire lots of guns, have loads of fights and kill people. He could earn $30 million just for signing on the dotted line. But he thinks this is starting to sound like blood money." DiCaprio has been in Thailand filming the screen version of the smash hit book 'The Beach,' British writer Alex Garland's tale of a hippie paradise gone wrong. And although the saga of a crisis-hit backpackers' community features a series of furious bust-ups, DiCaprio sought assurances from moviemakers that there would be no unnecessary dwelling on the violence. The source said: "After 'The Basketball Diaries,' Leo is very concerned that he is not involved in any more films that cold be construed to cause real-life violence. Maybe kids are inspired to horrific acts by what they see in films, maybe they're not. Whatever the truth, Leo feels he would rather not take any more chances. There are plenty of great scripts out there that don't feature graphic violence. Leo will be concentrating on them from now on. After all he did star in 'Titanic,' a classic family entertainment film. So he knows full well that you don't need guns and punch-ups to have a big box office hit."

DICAPRIO GUARDS INSULT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Police questioned Leonardo DiCaprio's bodyguards after photographers in Taiwan complained they shoved and insulted them. No charges were filed after the bodyguards admitted inappropriate behavior at Tapei airport and apologized. Pictures showed DiCaprio smiling behind sunglasses, a pulled down baseball cap and plastic shopping bag partially hiding his face.

DICAPRIO WAS NEVER IN DANGER OF BECOMING SHARK MEAT SAYS 20TH CENTURY FOX (Michael Crabb)

PHI PHI LE, Thailand - A spokesperson for 20th Century Fox says Leonardo DiCaprio was never in danger of being eaten alive by sharks when a small boat he was in capsized off the coast of Thailand. DiCaprio was in the middle of shooting a scene for his latest movie The Beach. On Friday he and his co-star, Tilda Swinton, were being filmed in a traditional long-tail fishing boat. A sudden storm whipped up the sea and the boat capsized. Thousands of dollars of camera equipment was lost. The Thai newspapers said sharks were seen close to the boat, but the studio spokesperson said no one had ever heard of a shark attack in the area. Rescue boats had DiCaprio and the others out of the water in a few minutes. DiCaprio is said to have remained calm throughout the incident.

PARENTS OF GUNNED-DOWNED TEENS GO AFTER INTERNET PORN, VIDEO GAMES AND DICAPRIO FILM (Catherine Jun)

PADUCAH, Kentucky - The lethal mix of Internet pornography, violent video games and the movie The Basketball Diaries, starring Leonardo DiCaprio led a Kentucky high schooler to go on shooting spree – at least that's what the parents of three students killed during the incident are claiming in civil court. The parents intend to file a $130 million lawsuit against Time Warner and Polygram Film, producers and distributors of The Basketball Diaries - a movie based on heroin addicted writer Jim Carroll's life. Also named in the suit are video game makers Nintendo, Sega and Sony Computer Entertainment, as well as proprietors of two Web porn sites, Network Authentication Systems and Meow Media.

DICAPRIO CAPSIZES (Stephen M. Silverman)

Leonardo DiCaprio and his current co-star Tilda Swinton were riding in a long tail boat -- a traditional fishing canoe with an outboard motor -- when it went down Friday in heavy seas off Thailand during a sudden storm while the two were filming "The Beach." But contrary to front-page reports in some Thai papers, no sharks were seen near the boat, said Santa Pestanij, the Thai coordinator for the 20th Century Fox film who was present when the boat capsized. Dive operators contacted by the Associated Press said small sand sharks may sometimes swim near the islands, but they had never heard of a shark attack in the area. The studio representative said DiCaprio remained calm for the five to ten minutes he was in the water and helped soothe crew members who were afraid of drowning. "He was a real gentleman," said Santa. "A hero."

DICAPRIO CAUSES MEDIA STAMPEDE

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Leonardo DiCaprio simply causes a riot wherever he goes. His bodyguards were questioned by Taiwanese police after photographers angling for a picture Monday in Taipei's airport complained that they shoved and insulted them, Taiwanese television and newspapers reported today. No charges were filed after the bodyguards, reported to number three or five, admitted inappropriate behavior and apologized to reporters, according to the mass circulation China Times, the entertainment paper Min Sheng Daily and the TVBS entertainment station. Pictures showed DiCaprio smiling behind sunglasses, a pulled down baseball cap and plastic shopping bag partially hiding his face. The "Titanic'' star stayed in the China Airlines VIP departure lounge for two hours Monday until his flight left, the reports said. The tanned, slim DiCaprio was on his way to Los Angeles from Bangkok after completing shooting of "The Beach'' on Thailand's Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea last week. Security assigned to other visiting celebrities, including singer Michael Jackson, have also had run-ins with Taiwan's aggressive news media.

DICAPRIO COMPUTER CENTER OPENS

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Leonardo DiCaprio movie posters cover the walls of the computer center at the new Los Feliz Branch Library, built on land where the actor's family home once stood. The Leonardo DiCaprio Computer Center contains seven terminals with software to help students with math, language and study skills, library spokesman Peter Persic said Thursday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the branch. DiCaprio and his family, who are longtime residents of the Los Feliz neighborhood, donated $35,000 to fund the computer center, Persic said. The "Titanic'' actor did not attend the ceremony. "There are lots of books about Leonardo DiCaprio on the shelves, but I doubt they'll stay there for long,'' Persic said.

DICAPRIO OPTIONS 'DREAMLAND' (Chris Petrikin)

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has reached into his own pocket to option Kevin Baker's recently published debut novel, "Dreamland,'' for an undisclosed sum. "Dreamland's'' storyline and social commentary have brought comparisons to E.L. Doctorow's "Ragtime.'' It takes place in turn of the century New York and follows the struggles of a large cast of characters, mainly Jewish, Irish and Italian immigrants, as they eke out existences in the teeming Lower East Side ghettoes. It was published last month by Harper Collins. Baker previously served as chief historical researcher for Harold Evans' book, "The American Century.'' DiCaprio will produce the picture under his Birken Prods. banner, but the project will have to wait until after he returns from starring in his latest film, "The Beach,'' in Thailand.

DICAPRIO GETS OFFER FOR TV

It seems that poor old Leonardo DiCaprio can't help but attract romance and...boats! According to press reports, the Hollywood actor has been offered close to four million dollars to step aboard the new "Love Boat" ship for just one day. Yes, a new version of 80's hit tv-series "The Love Boat" is underway. And no, Leo has not accepted the offer.

MUM GETS INVOLVED ON LEO'S BEHALF (Empire Magazine)

Leonardo DiCaprio's mum, Irmelin DiCaprio, has stepped in on behalf of her little boy's troubled romance. Irmelin has allegedly begged stunning Kristen Zang to jet out to Thailand where ducky Leo has been filming 'The Beach' and also entertaining scores of Thai women--slipping back into his old ways. Speaking of Kristen, Irmelin said, "Kristen is beautiful and good for Leo. She has a stabilizing effect on him." Clearly not stabilizing enough, though, as a fed up Kristen last week dropped him like a rock after learning of his lapse back into old habits. But unsurprisingly enough, Leo reckons he's learnt his lesson. A friend of his recently told papers, "He's realized that Thai women are a dime a dozen and the girl he really wants is in America."

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON…

Mega-star Leonardo DiCaprio is turning to the stars to transform himself into a titanic hunk--he's enrolled in a wacky physical fitness program where astrological charts are used to help put muscles on the meek. "Leo is tired of his scrawny look," an insider disclosed. He got rid of a lot of baby far for his current film 'The Beach,' but he still has a caved-in chest and doesn't have the muscle-bound physique he craves. He wants to have beefy pecs and muscular arms, and he looks at Sylvester Stallone as an inspiration. "Sly has an image I like. He worked at it," Leo said. When shooting for "The Beach" ends, Leo will work out at the Crunch gym in West Hollywood, taking a course called Astro Fitness and Wellness. It uses a person's astrological chart to devise a special program that dictates the best times to pump iron or do aerobics. It also charts when and what to eat…

DICAPRIO JOINS SCORSESE'S GANG

First Tom Cruise decides to team with Steven Spielberg for the sci-fi thriller Minority Report, and now another huge, high profile, A-list production is coming together. Leonardo DiCaprio has committed to star in Martin Scorsese's upcoming film, "The Gangs of New York," says the Hollywood Reporter. And just to get your heart pumping a little faster, the "Titanic" star could be joined in the epic tale of Irish gangsters in New York in the mid-1800's through the 20th century by none other than Scorsese regular Robert De Niro. You'll recall that De Niro, who is still in negotiations, played DiCaprio's brutal stepfather in the harrowing 1993 drama "This Boy's Life" and also starred with DiCaprio in the 1997 film "Marvin's Room". "Gangs..." is based on the book by Herbert Asbury and will be written by Jay Cocks. It will likely be a co-venture between Disney and Warner Brothers. The budget hasn't yet been hammered out, and there's no info on Leo's payday, although since this is a Scorsese film, chances are it won't be his current asking price of $20 million.

FOX CLOSE TO PICKING UP DICAPRIO PRISON FILM (Variety)

20th Century Fox is close to a deal to pick up "The Stanford Prison Experiment," a long-gestating project that would continue Leonardo DiCaprio's relationship with the studio for which he's already made three films. DiCaprio is attached to star (having both his manager and his father as two of the films three producers) and Lee Tamahori attached to direct. The project originated at HBO with a script by Michael Lazarou and later moved to Artisan Entertainment. Jim Uhls is penning a rewrite. The screenplay is based on an actual experiment conducted at Stanford University in the summer of 1971, when a professor named Phil Zimburdo turned the basement of a psychology building into a mock prison. The randomly chosen subjects were 19 and 20-year-old students who were divided into camps of either prison guards or prisoners. What was to be a two-week experiment was cut short after six days because of the level of cruelty and sadism that erupted among the participants, mainly those playing guards. If a deal can be finalized for the film and the various attachments, "Stanford" would be DiCaprio's fourth picture for Fox. He previously starred in James Cameron's blockbuster "Titanic," Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet," and is currently filming Danny Boyle's "The Beach".

ON 'THE BEACH' (Judith Michaelson, Times Staff Writer)

Environmental activists called Friday for a U.S. investigation of 20th Century Fox, claiming the studio bribed Thai officials for permission to film a Leonardo DiCaprio movie in a national park. About 15 activists marched at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, wearing paper DiCaprio masks embellished with vampire fangs, dripping with blood. "The Beach" has been awash in controversy over the planting of nonnative coconut trees and the smoothing over of sand dunes on Phi Phi Island. Environmentalists fear the changes to the landscape will harm the island's ecosystem. Jeffrey Godsick, Fox's senior vice president of publicity and promotions, said the bribery charges are "absolutely not true. The only moneys that we have paid for are location fees and the hiring of local laborers." As for the environmental issues, Godsick said the production has been approved by Thailand's forestry department and an independent environmental organization.

FRIEND INDEED (N.Y. Post)