Cinefile

Irvin Kershner (“The Empire Strikes Back”) replaces Tim Hunter (“River’s Edge”) as director of Orion’s “RoboCop II,” which goes before the cameras next month. Peter Weller and Nancy Allen return in Frank Miller’s screenplay produced by Jon Davison.

Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas reteam this fall in Columbia’s “Hardboiled,” as, respectively, star and producer. The Becky Johnston thriller has Turner as a female private eye whose latest case has her posing as a man to ferret out a killer. Douglas’ Stonebridge Productions is negotiating with David Anspaugh (“Hoosiers”) to direct. . . .

Dennis Hopper will direct Don Johnson, who’ll play a drifter who takes a job as a car salesman in a Midwestern town, in Orion’s “Hot Spot.” The dark tale--Johnson becomes embroiled with two women in a conspiracy of murder and robbery--films in Texas in August. Charles Williams adapted his novel, “Hell Hath No Fury,” and Paul Lewis produces. . . .

Jamie Lee Curtis has a supporting role next month in New Vision’s “Queen’s Logic” as a flipped-out Californian in the ensemble piece starring Joe Mantegna, John Malkovich, Kevin Bacon and Linda Fiorentino. Steve Rash (“The Buddy Holly Story”) directs. . . .

Daphne Ashbrook portrays Sylvester Stallone’s sister and Kurt Russell’s romantic interest in Warners’ “Setup.” Jack Palance and Michael J. Pollard are the crime czars who do what the title implies to the star cops in Randy Feldman’s screenplay, directed by Andrei Konchalovsky. . . .

“Entertainment Tonight’s” Leonard Maltin gets his cuddly image contrasted with the diabolical cast of Warners’ “Gremlins II,” with a cameo appearance in the currently filming sequel. Ironically, Maltin panned the original, so expect director Joe Dante to exact some artistic revenge. . . .

Lisa Zane, appearing in Trans World’s “Bad Influence,” is actor Billy Zane’s sister--not his wife, as we reported last week. Zane’s wife is Australian-born actress Lisa Collins-Zane.