‘Alpha Dog’ faces drama off-screen

On the big screen, “Alpha Dog” focuses on the kidnapping and murder of a Southern California teen, inspired by actual events.

Off-screen, the movie – starring Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone and Justin Timberlake – is creating some drama of its own.

Not only is the film facing a legal challenge that could block its scheduled release next Friday, but an appeals court has chided a deputy district attorney for turning over confidential files to the movie’s producers.

Attorneys for Jesse James Hollywood, who faces criminal charges based on events depicted in the movie, are trying to block its distribution.

Despite having the characters’ names changed, Hollywood is shown in a bad light throughout the film, attorney James Blatt says, and a jury pool could be tainted, infringing on Hollywood’s right to a fair trial.

Universal Studios argues that prohibiting the public from seeing the movie would violate the First Amendment.

Last month, a federal judge refused to stop the film’s release, but Hollywood appealed the decision. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to rule soon.

“Alpha Dog” is based on the kidnapping and slaying of 15-year-old Nicholas Markowitz seven years ago. Prosecutors believe Hollywood, portrayed in the movie by Emile Hirsch, was the mastermind behind the murder plot.

Markowitz was killed as part of a feud Hollywood had with the victim’s older half brother over a $1,200 drug debt, prosecutors said. Four others have been convicted in connection with the murder.

Hollywood fled after being charged with murder and was captured in Brazil in 2005. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Also pending is a decision by the California Supreme Court, which could reverse a lower court’s ruling to remove Santa Barbara County Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen from handling Hollywood’s trial.

In October, the 2nd District Court of Appeal ordered Zonen removed from the case because he shared probation reports, police files and other materials with “Alpha Dog” producers. He also served as an unpaid consultant on the film.

Zonen’s actions “allowed ‘show business’ to cast an unseemly shadow over this case,” Presiding Judge Arthur Gilbert wrote in the court’s Oct. 5 decision.

Blatt, who has seen the film, said that Zonen’s involvement in “Alpha Dog” gives the public a slanted view of what happened.

New ‘Indy’ film

Director Steven Spielberg, star Harrison Ford and executive producer George Lucas have signed off on the script for a fourth “Indiana Jones” movie.

Screenwriter David Koepp’s credits include “Spider-Man,” “Jurassic Park” and “War of the Worlds.”

Production is scheduled to begin in June at locations around the world in anticipation of a May 2008 release for the as-yet-untitled sequel.

For his part, Ford said in a statement: “I don’t know if the pants still fit, but the hat will.”