Movies: Is It Science Fiction or Is It Scientology?

JOHN TRAVOLTA last week finalized plans to bring Scientology founder L. RON HUBBARD's sci-fi novel Battlefield Earth to the big screen. Travolta's longtime manager-producer JONATHAN KRANE says the new deal calls for small indie Franchise Pictures, run by L.A. club owner and actress Tia Carrere's husband Elie Samaha, to finance the production. Distribution is planned via Franchise's ties to fellow indie Morgan Creek, whose movies are handled by Warner Bros. Krane adds that ROGER CHRISTIAN, a filmmaking protege of GEORGE LUCAS', is directing the summer '99 shoot, and Patrick Tatopoulos, who designed creature effects for Godzilla and Independence Day, will create the movie's aliens. Travolta, a Scientology adherent, will produce and star as a space villain named Terl. Hollywood insiders had gossiped that major studios shied away from the project because of the connection to Hubbard, but Krane insists the production is completely unrelated to the group. "I've never even dealt with or talked to the church on this," says Krane, who is not a member. "This is an action-adventure, science-fiction story. Period. The movie has nothing to do with Scientology."

--By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles