ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

MOVIES

Imax Has High ‘Fantasia’ Hopes: “Fantasia/2000,” the updated version of Disney’s classic 1940 animated film, is generating strong advanced ticket sales at the large-screen Imax theaters where it will begin its run, bolstering the Imax company’s hopes to draw more mainstream fare to its screens. An executive for the Toronto-based Imax Corp. said that in some cities, “Fantasia/2000” tickets are moving at up to 20 times the normal Imax sales levels. The film begins showing at Imax theaters on New Year’s Day and at regular theaters about four months later. The executive said the company, which owns more than 180 giant Imax theaters worldwide, hopes that “Fantasia” will help “establish Imax as a new, ancillary window for showing Hollywood-type films.” He added that Imax has been working with Hollywood movie studios to entice them into releasing movies in Imax theaters first to broaden the films’ reach into specialty markets. So far, the company has largely relied on majestic science or adventure films like the hit “Everest.”

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More ‘Toy’ Antics: Hoping to attract repeat business, Disney’s “Toy Story 2” will debut a group of new “outtakes”--featuring the movie’s animated characters in behind-the-scenes antics--in theaters starting Christmas Day. The added footage--featuring Woody, Buzz, Jessie and other characters--will play along with the movie’s end credits. Two of the outtakes are also available on the Web at https://www.toystory2.com. Disney first introduced animated outtakes with its release last year of “A Bug’s Life.”

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Sir Sean?: London’s Daily Mail newspaper says that actor Sean Connery will be knighted in the queen’s traditional New Year’s honors list after a change of heart by Britain’s ruling Labor government, which had previously denied the former 007 star the award because of his support for the Scottish National Party. English Prime Minister Tony Blair declined comment on the report.

TV & RADIO

‘Millionaire’ Moves: With NBC and CBS introducing prime-time game shows in January, ABC has decided to “jump-start” the return of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” by running the show for eight consecutive days beginning Jan. 9. That’s two days earlier than originally planned for the quiz show, which, after the eight-day run, will settle into its regular Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday broadcast pattern. In addition, ABC will move “Spin City” to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays, following “The Drew Carey Show,” starting Jan. 12 and keep “Sports Night” in its current Tuesday 9:30 p.m. slot after “Dharma & Greg.” To make room, “Norm,” which currently follows “Drew,” will move up to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. ABC has also set its TV movie biography of Muhammad Ali for Jan. 10. Fox, meanwhile, has yanked its similarly themed project, which had been scheduled for Jan. 15.

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Monster Races: UPN, which has had great success of late with its wrestling show “WWF Smackdown!,” has announced plans for more testosterone-driven programming: “The Great Monster Truck Race,” a one-hour special featuring 12 “high-tech monster trucks and their outrageous drivers” competing on an obstacle course. Described by network president Tom Nunam as “flat-out, adrenaline-fueled competitive sport,” the race is scheduled for Feb. 29 at 9 p.m. . . . Cable’s TNT, meanwhile, will capitalize on its own wrestling success with a three-hour “Best of WCW Millennium” special on Jan. 3 at 5 p.m.

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Programming Notes: Radio station KNX-AM (1070) will air its annual broadcast of the 1934 “A Christmas Carol” production, starring Lionel Barrymore as Ebenezer Scrooge, tonight at 9. . . . Longtime rock radio personality Joe Benson will host “Uncle Joe’s Christmas Eve Special,” featuring two hours of Christmas songs sung by “classic rock” artists, tonight at 6 on KCBS-FM (“Arrow” 93.1). . . . KCOP-TV will broadcast “Eyes of Christmas,” a holiday special for the blind, at 1:30 a.m. Christmas morning, featuring descriptions of the movie “Scrooge,” holiday music and audio greetings from celebrities. . . . Today’s “Donny & Marie Show,” featuring a rare Osmond family reunion, will air at 3 p.m. instead of the program’s usual 1 p.m. time slot. . . . The correct time for the final “Gossip Show” on E! Entertainment Television is 9 a.m. Christmas morning, with a repeat that night at 8.

QUICK TAKES

NBC’s “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” with guests including Jim Carrey, Susan Sarandon, Michael Stipe and Julianne Moore, drew an average 2.9 million viewers last week, the third-most-watched week in the show’s history. . . . The Canadian sketch comedy troupe Kids in the Hall have reunited for a 25-city North American tour that will include a stop at the Wiltern Theatre, Jan. 21-22. . . . Sources within the ‘N Sync camp told MTV on Thursday that a settlement has been reached in the $150-million breach-of-contract lawsuit brought against the teen pop group by their onetime music guru Louis Pearlman and BMG Entertainment.