LORD OF THE DANCE MAY WORK WITH KING OF POP : THE BIG-SCREEN SCENE.

Byline: Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Michael Flatley and Michael Jackson are being advertised in Ireland as joining forces for a July 19 musical spectacular in Dublin. But the wizard of step dancing tells us, ``I haven't said yes to anything.'' As far as talking to Jackson about such a show, ``We did have a conversation,'' Flatley says. ``I'm not in a position to talk about it. My plate is really full right now without anything else.''

And how.

Flatley's ``Lord of the Dance'' show has been such a rampant sellout in arena-sized theaters, he's now laying plans for a stadium tour of the States next year - expecting to kick up his heels in venues such as Giants Stadium in New York, Soldiers Field in Chicago and the L.A. Coliseum. His current tour, which brings him to Anaheim in mid-July, will keep him on the road into February.

Flatley plans to begin production of his first film next March. The Chicago-born Irish-American, who has been ardently courted by Hollywood in recent months, is just not sure which film that will be.

``We have five film offers in total, three we're very serious about, and one I think we'll end up pursuing because I would be able to produce it myself. I'd like to see to it that it's done properly,'' he says. Flatley has a script for the latter project with him on tour, and ``I'm working on it between shows.''

The feature he's formulating ``wouldn't be a full musical, certainly, although there'd be several dance parts in it. ... I want to create something really special and different, and I'm going into it the same way I went into creating the (stage) show. It'll be very uplifting and encourage people to follow their dreams; that's what I'm interested in.''

So who needs Michael Jackson?

Filming of ``Con Air'' proved to be a test of physical endurance for Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich and the rest of the cast. To say nothing of the crew and director Simon West.

``We were working 16-hour days,'' says the British commercial director, who makes his big-screen debut with the $75 million Touchstone epic that hits theaters Friday. ``And stupidly, I decided to shoot for five weeks in the desert - where the temperature hit 120 degrees. Then we ended up in Las Vegas in November during a freak cold snap and were doing night shooting in 10-below weather - with Nic having to run around in a little T-shirt in the rain.''

The responsibility of making what he describes as a ``huge production'' sounds like it didn't sit easily on West's shoulders. He says, ``Every day there was a different disaster, and I'd go around saying, `How are we ever going to finish this thing?' I'm still kind of amazed I got through it. And let me tell you, it's very hard for actors to do action stuff and still perform. For instance, you've got to trust Malkovich with an M-16 rifle and tell him to spray bullets - and trust he doesn't get burnt by the hot muzzle or hit with the shells.''

The videoland view

Halle Berry heads to the East Coast in August to begin starring stints in an ABC miniseries being produced by Oprah Winfrey via the talk-show host's Harpo Films. ``The Oval,'' based on a novel by Dorothy West, covers the epic saga of a middle-class African-American family from the '50s to the present.

Just like regular folks

Arnold Schwarzenegger was spotted last weekend strolling through the Pasadena City College flea market, dressed casually in an orange Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts and athletic shoes. He was just checking out the great bargains like everyone else and, according to one onlooker, he seemed particularly interested in some Barbie dolls on display.

A story with bite in it

Just when you thought it might be safe to go back in the water ... production's set to begin July 23 in Australia on a four-hour miniseries of Peter Benchley's ``White Shark.'' In the tale, a hybrid shark, developed by the Navy decades ago, has now reached its full genetic potential - a`nd is on a killing spree.

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