MICHAEL JACKSON - LEGAL PROBLEMS THWART JACKSON'S MOVIE CAREER

Pop mega-star MICHAEL JACKSON's extreme legal problems may have thwarted his attempt to relaunch his career as a film star.

The BLACK OR WHITE singer was delighted with his 10-minute appearance in director BRYAN MICHAEL STOLLER'S spoof MISS CAST AWAY - but distributors are anxious about the film since Jackson's arrest on child-molestation charges.

The director explains, "We've sort of had to put things on hold. It's a shame because Jackson has an amazing vision."

Stoller spent at least one day a week at Jackson's NEVERLAND RANCH home "mentoring" him for the movie which also stars former JOE MILLIONAIRE EVAN MARRIOTT and depicts what might happen if a plane-load of contestants on their way to a beauty pageant crash-landed on an island.

Miss Cast Away is already facing problems over its release - bosses at TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX are attempting to keep the film out of cinemas because the title is too close to their hit TOM HANKS movie CAST AWAY.