REEL DEALS The first two Harry Potter movies may have been plum assignments for director Chris Columbus, but he says that as soon as he's finished with ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,'' due in theaters in November, he's ready to take the Hogwarts Express back to the United States. Variety reports that Columbus has turned down the job of directing the third movie, ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,'' because he and his family have been in England long enough and are ready to go home. (Guess Chris Columbus wants to rediscover America.) Warner Bros. has not named a replacement, but Variety reports that the top candidate is Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron. He's currently in theaters with the sex-drenched ''Y Tu Mama Tambien,'' but he also directed the critically acclaimed children's movie ''A Little Princess.''...

Is Chris Tucker the new Peter Sellers? According to the Hollywood Reporter, he's in talks to star in MGM's remake of ''The Pink Panther,'' taking on Sellers' signature bumbling-detective role. Ivan Reitman is directing (what, was Blake Edwards too busy?). Reitman's not the most subtle of comic directors (his last movie was ''Evolution''), so brace yourself for a joke in which Tucker rechristens himself the Black Panther.

HEALTH WATCH For the second time this spring, Neil Young's touring has been sidelined by flu. The 56-year-old postponed two dates in March with Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and last week, he cut short his British solo tour behind his new album ''Are You Passionate?'', indefinitely postponing a final London date. He still plans to tour North America this summer, but he has yet to announce a schedule.

Originally posted May 28, 2002
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