Newsmakers

Leonardo DiCaprio fans have been beached for two years, waiting for the King of the World's return to the screen. But is this really what they had in mind--two new Leo movies set to open the same day? In a bizarre scheduling fight, both Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can" and Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" are set to debut on Christmas. Spielberg's DreamWorks studio first claimed Dec. 25 last spring. Miramax, professing ignorance of DreamWorks' plans, put its long-delayed "Gangs" on the identical date.

At least the plots have nothing in common. In "Catch Me," DiCaprio plays a 1960s con man pursued by FBI agent Tom Hanks. In "Gangs," he's an 1860s immigrant avenging his father's killing by crime lord Daniel Day-Lewis. Still, both films may suffer if they debut simultaneously. But DreamWorks rejected a Miramax offer to settle the dispute by tossing a coin.

Of course there's a history here. The two studios have been bitter Oscar rivals; DreamWorks, moreover, originally wanted Lasse Hallstrom ("The Shipping News") to direct "Catch Me," but Hallstrom has a deal with Miramax, which wanted co-ownership of "Catch Me" in exchange for his services. (With drama like this, who needs the movies, huh?) DiCaprio, meanwhile, has more momentous battles ahead of him. He plans to re- team with "Romeo + Juliet" director Baz Luhrmann for a film about Alexander the Great, in which he goes toe-to-toe with King Darius III.

--John Horn

Jimmy Fallon

Mr. Saturday night took a day job. Several, in fact. Jimmy Fallon just wrapped a movie and recorded an album. Now "Saturday Night Live's" prettyboy-funnyman has signed on to host MTV's Video Music Awards. He spars with NEWSWEEK's Katherine Stroup: