`STIGMATA' THRILLER MAY GET VATICAN'S BLOOD BOILING.

Byline: Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith

``The Vatican will be upset for sure,'' predicts director Rupert Wainwright about MGM's ``Stigmata,'' which stars Patricia Arquette, Gabriel Byrne and Jonathan Pryce.

The British filmmaker reveals he's already being approached by Catholic groups concerned about the supernatural thriller that opens Sept. 10. In addition to exploring the phenomenon of stigmata (marks resembling the crucifixion wounds of Jesus), the movie delves into ``this sort of conspiracy in the Vatican to withhold certain documents within the last century that may or may not have been closer to the true words of Christ than the words put together in the New Testament.''

He insists, however, that ``Stigmata'' is ``not a cheap shot at the Vatican. It's a smart, even-handed film. We did our research very carefully. We used New Testament scholars who are experts in the field. We also had people who'd performed exorcisms and documentary crews who'd actually worked with the Vatican in studying practitioners of voodoo in Haiti. ... There isn't a single topic in the movie that wasn't validated beforehand.''

Wainwright certainly sounds as if he's poised for a fight. He says, ``This movie is going to be to the Vatican what the movie ``JFK'' was for the Warren Commission. I'm not saying we're right, but I know that they're lying.''

The big-screen scene

A script has been completed for Arnold Schwarzenegger's ``Total Recall 2'' project, and the star has approved it. However, as actor/director Jonathan Frakes puts it, ``I'm not holding my breath.''

Frakes, who's attached to helm the sequel to the 1990 blockbuster, reports that the way the story has been written, ``the movie would cost in the neighborhood of $150 million - and I don't think the industry likes $150 million sequels anymore.'' He does know ``Dimension Films doesn't want to spend that kind of money on the movie and is now looking for a new, less expensive - but still big - screenplay.''

Whatever script they use, the project would not only have to be shot around Schwarzenegger's schedule, but, if Frakes is to remain attached, his busy schedule, too. He's not only producer/creator of WB's upcoming ``Roswell High'' series, he also has his on-camera work to think about.

Frakes co-stars in AMC's ``The Lot,'' a four-part original series debuting tonight.

Hollywood faux pas 

You've got to believe there were some tense moments for organizers of this week's premiere of Sharon Stone's ``The Muse'' at the motion-picture academy - when it turned out that a seating mix-up left a row of VIP guests with no place to park their posteriors.

The unlucky ones included Lee Iacocca, who reportedly shelled out $25,000 to bring his guests to the event that benefited Planet Hope. However, the onetime Chrysler chief reacted with a generous display of good sportsmanship, remaining upbeat even as he wound up with the group viewing ``The Muse'' in a small, third-floor theater - along with such names as Shari Belafonte.

A new gig

Baby boomers who grew up watching Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway cutting up on the '60s ``McHale's Navy'' series may be interested to know the two old salts have reteamed - vocally - as a pair of retired superheroes on Nickelodeon's hit Saturday-morning cartoon ``Spongebob Squarepants.''

According to Ernie, when he and Tim got together in the recording studio to do their first installment of the animated show, which airs Saturday, ``We plaed off each other. Tim's such a performer - a little more caustic than I am. We were making all sorts of noise. People outside the room were guffawing. We're supposed to be underwater, you know.''

We didn't know, but maybe we should have guessed, seeing their characters' names are Mermaidman and Barnacleboy and that the star of the show is a sponge. Really. Borgnine and Conway are set to return to the kids' show for more underwater high jinks.

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4 Photos

PHOTO (1) ARQUETTE

(2) STONE

(3) CONWAY

(4) BORGNINE