American cinema chain Regal cinemas is refusing to show the first part of Lord Of The Rings when it's released later in the year because it is unhappy with New Line's new contract.

New Line Cinema has begun a "firm term" contracts with cinemas to replace the old system's ad hoc, performance related profit split.

Paramount, MGM and Disney still employ the approach with cinema owners which waits for box office figures to come in per film. New Line demand a fixed contract for hopw receipts are divvied up before the film is released..

Other studios that use the fixed term approach include DreamWorks, Warner Bros and Sony have gone to firm term releasing.

Pippin Took Boyd to the Top

At the artistic end of the industry tittle-known actor Billy Boyd is the latest Scot to grab headlines after Gerard Butler raised his profile with Bond speculations.

Boyd plays Pippin Took in The Fellowship of the Ring, the first part of which is released in the UK in December. In an interview with the Daily Record Boyd explained, "I'm trying not to think about what is going to happen in the coming months. At the moment things are quite low key although I've already tasted some of the publicity to come at Cannes."