Arquette Gets Honky

Currently shooting indie film, The Shrink Is In, with fiancee Courteney Cox, the enviable David Arquette (Never Been Kissed) is to star in the comedy Honky!, slated for a mid-October start late this year. Arquette will play a clueless white entertainer hired by two black promoters to host a third-rate version of Soul Train dubbed 'Boogie Fever'. Unbeknown to him, his hiring is entirely down to the fact that he is devoid of talent, a bid by the promoters to have the show tank, freeing them from contractual obligations to the network. With Arquette set to get paid even if the film doesn't go ahead, D.L. Hughley, who was attached to co-star as one of the Boogie Fever producers, has dropped out due to scheduling issues. Distribution for the $14 million flick - being developed by New Regency - comes from Fox; newcomer Stephen Leeds will direct. Both Arquette and Cox are pegged to appear in the third instalment of the Scream series, which director Wes Craven starts shooting in June.