ROBERT DOWNEY JR has been hailed as "spectacular" in the upcoming movie version of Dennis Potter's BBC TV series "The Singing Detective". Admittedly the praise comes from his co-star, Carla Gugino, but she's pretty adamant.

"I love the original and I'm a huge Dennis Potter fan," says Gugino, best know as the mum in the "Spy Kids" movies. "It was an amazing experience and I think Robert Downey Jr is going to be spectacular in the role that Michael Gambon played. He's younger but he's really become such a man. I think he's really owning the part."

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RALPH FIENNES has been explaining why he swapped man eating for a more delicate type of lip smacking in next year's romantic comedy "Maid in Manhattan".

The intense English star - who impresses as a schizophrenic in "Spider" - admits the shift to a lighter tone "had been a long time coming", adding, "I was a little apprehensive. I came straight to this from the set of "Red Dragon" where I'd been eating people. I wanted to do it but I do think it's a mistake to think that romantic comedy is easy."

As for the finished product, which sees his Republican politician fall for Jennifer Lopez's maid, he's polite rather than enthusiastic, explaining, it's "a feelgood movie. It's not pretending to be anything other than light romantic popcorn entertainment. Very simple fare. I think it's very well scripted and a Cinderella story for today."

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"SCOOBY-DOO", er, star, Matthew Lillard has joined the cast for the latest thriller from "Gangster No.1" director Paul McGuigan. "Wicker Park" is based on French thriller "L'Appartement" and stars Josh Hartnett.

Post-"Park", Lillard is expected to return for a "Scooby-Doo" sequel, although he says he says the deal isn't inked yet: "Getting the whole cast back - that's the only thing that will do it." Because artistic integrity is a prime consideration in the adventures of a talking dog, obviously.

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PUKE NOW. Julia Stiles is to star in a 'romantic comedy' about a small-town American girl who meets a British prince at a US university - and falls for him. "The Prince and the Freshman" then, no doubt, becomes hilarious as the incognito heir to the British throne is exposed as royalty, and the Queen gets involved. We give it three minutes until a tabloid suggests Prince William is going to play himself.

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TIM ROBBINS is to co-star with "Morvern Callar" actress Samantha Morton in bizarre futuristic thriller "Code 46". "24 Hour Party People" director Michael Winterbottom will call the shots, from a script by his regular collaborator Frank Cottrell Boyce. The potentially disturbing love story is about a couple who have an affair, but have to flee the authorities when it's revealed that the woman was cloned using DNA from the man's mother.

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THE OSCARS might sometimes feel like an unstructured ramble, but there are show writers, apparently. Chief among them is comedian Bruce Vilanch, who has revealed work is well underway on scripting the March 23rd ceremony.

"We have more material this year than we've ever had before. You always look to see what the movies are and try and discern some trends but you never really know until the nominations," he says. Oscar host this time is the excellent Steve Martin, who apparently could have a "couple of surprises in store".

Among them, presumably, won't be Vilanch's 'joke' about making the show a reality TV special. "We could do a Victoria's Secret Oscar fashion show with our host Steve Martin in very tasteful bikini panties," he says.

"Then later on, we could have a Bachelor competition where the supporting actors can pick one of the supporting actresses and we could vote someone out of the Kodak Theatre (the show venue) and then we can turn to Harvey Weinstein at some point and go, 'You are the Weakest Link!'" Mmm. We're really looking forward to Oscar night now.

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LOOK OUT FOR Angelina Jolie down your local supermarket. The "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" star is moving to a country house in blighty, because, she says, "I feel more connected to the world living in England than I do in America. When I'm in the States I feel very detached." Okaay...

Some of today's stories are taken from Variety, and the Hollywood Reporter.

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