Inside Move: MGM rings up 'Bellboy'

Lewis remake to star Chan

By CLAUDE BRODESSER, DANA HARRIS

Following the record-breaking opening weekend of "Rush Hour 2," MGM is now finalizing a deal for Jackie Chan to star in the Lion's update of 1960 Jerry Lewis laffer "The Bellboy."

While the studio would not comment, sources indicate that the new script by the William Morris Agency-repped Bradley Allenstein ("Juwanna Mann") sets the action -- where else? -- in Las Vegas' MGM Grand Hotel. Although Chan has been attached to the project ever since MGM began developing the property a year ago (Daily Variety, Aug. 9, 2000), this weekend's keen response to Chan seemed to be all the push MGM needed to move toward making it official.

No director is currently attached to the project.