the industry

James Gandolfini Shoeses HBO for Nike Pic

Basketball fan Gandolfini, at a Nets game this spring.Photo: Getty Images

Gandolfini Back to HBO: James Gandolfini will play legendary Nike scout Sonny Vaccaro in HBO pic ABCD Camp, about the scout’s final youth basketball camp. David Aaron Cohen (Friday Night Lights) will write; Dan Halsted and Warriors guard Baron Davis will produce alongside Gandolfini. This item is too awesome to make fun of. [Variety]

Fat Tony Takes Over for Mandy: Joe Mantegna will replace Mandy Patinkin, who unexpectedly left CBS’s Criminal Minds last month. Move comes after talks with Harvey Keitel fell through. No offense to Mantegna, but God we wish Keitel had said yes. He could’ve gone all Bad Lieutenant on that shit. [Variety]

Globetrotters to Reality?: Hell’s Kitchen producer A. Smith & Co. acquires rights to produce properties with the Harlem Globetrotters, including a potential reality show. Should they ever make a Washington Generals reality show, let us be the first in line to be a contestant. [Variety]

Tillman to Helm Biggie Biopic: Soul Food director George Tillman will direct Fox Searchlight’s Notorious B.I.G. biopic, based on script by Cheo Hodari Coker and Reggie Rock Bythewood. Sean Combs will produce and, surely, perform the closing-credits song, on which he will sample and rap over his own “I’ll Be Missing You.” [Variety]

Millennium Wins Conan Auction: After negotiations with New Line fall through, Paradox Entertainment sells rights for Conan the Barbarian to Millennium Films, with production to start next spring. Conan the Librarian still unattached. [Variety]

James Gandolfini Shoeses HBO for Nike Pic