RUMORED SEQUELS INCLUDE EVERYTHING BUT `ISHTAR 2'.

Byline: Dave McNary Staff Writer

Clint Eastwood as Batman?

``Pretty in Pink 2?'' An ``Exorcist'' prequel? ``Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian?'' The rebirth of ``Tron''?

Would you believe Rick Deckard returning in 2018 to Los Angeles, which is turning into a desert, to look for one more Nexus 6 replicant in ``Blade Runner 2''?

Welcome to the wacky world of sequel rumors, fueled by a combination of anonymous tips from alleged insiders, pure speculation and tantalizing hints by stars, directors and producers. Web sites like Harry Knowles' ain't-it-cool-news devote discussion to projects that have only a whisper of a chance of seeing the inside of a theater, even with over 200 movies per year in wide release.

In the case of Clint-as-the-Caped Crusader, for example, the rumor emerged on the Internet in late 1997 that Eastwood would play a ``darker'' retired Batman in the fifth movie version. Speculation shifted last year to Kurt Russell as the new Batman before his ``Universal Soldier'' bombed; the most recent rumor has Mel Gibson battling The Joker, reprised by Jack Nicholson.

That's not to say skepticism is completely lacking on the Web. In discussions of ``Batman V,'' commentators often point out that Warner Bros. is probably not in a big rush to make ``Batman 5'' after ``Batman & Robin'' underperformed at the box office.

``We recently had a clandestine meeting with a spy known only as The Drunken Surgeon,'' noted the ``Coming Attractions'' site. ``As he woozily wielded his scalpel, he told us that he had spoken with an `inside source' about the status of certain comic book movies. The word about the new `Batman' film is that it wouldn't foom if you put four million volts through it.''

Or take ``Babe 3.'' Its predecessor, ``Babe: Pig in the City,'' was such a financial disaster that Casey Silver resigned as head of Universal four days after it opened.

But the pig's fans can take heart. ``We could be seeing Babe on the big screen again in 2001 but with a lot smaller budget than the rumored $90 million,'' one Web commentator said.

Knowles recently posted a rumor about a ``Wild at Heart'' sequel based on one of his sources, Mike Horaney, hearing a radio interview with Chris Isaac in which the singer said he would star as Sailor Ripley, Nicolas Cage's character in the bizarre original. Filming allegedly would start in the fall but without David Lynch directing.

``Now this is just plain weird,'' Knowles wrote. ``Of course, the whole concept of a `Wild At Heart 2' would naturally need to be weird but, ya know, with Lynch not directing are ya really interested at all? Will this be a straight to video schlock fest or an attempt at a real live theatrical run? I don't know but that Horaney guy sent this in . . . so enjoy . . . or not.''

Since Hollywood relies so heavily on hype and buzz, even the strangest rumors about sequels seem at least a little believable. Additionally, studios actually do green-light questionable sequels because they need to keep product flow going in hopes of capturing that elusive blockbuster. Or have you already forgotten ``Blues Brothers 2000,'' ``Carrie 2,'' ``Weekend at Bernie's 2,'' ``Robocop 3,'' ``The Evening Star,'' ``The Two Jakes'' and ``The Odd Couple 2''?

All the above must have seemed like good ideas at some point though none took in even $20 million domestically. What follows is a potpourri of the more entertaining speculation at several Web sites:

A ``Back to the Future 4'' script has been worked on with Christopher Lloyd's Doc Brown causing the Roswell UFO crash.

A script might exist for ``Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian,'' which was in development prior to Michael Keaton starring in the first ``Batman'' movies.

There could be a script for an ``Exorcist'' prequel with Max Van Sydow reprising his role as Father Merrin. William Friedkin, director of the original, has said, ``I would no sooner direct a sequel than I would jump off the roof of this building.''

Sony recently secured the Internet domain name for ``Ghostbusters 3.''

The ``Independence Day'' sequel would be set five years after the original battle with an even more powerful alien vessel attacking Earth.

``Revenge of The Mask'' calls for the mask to be split in two and follow Stanley Ipkiss around Edge City. Jim Carrey will probably not star.

Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald and James Spader were rumored several years ago to be involved in a ``Pretty in Pink'' sequel that would be ``more nihilistic'' than the 1985 original.

Speculation has appeared in recent weeks that Sylvester Stallone is in talks with struggling MGM to write, direct and star in ``Rocky VI'' with a relatively modest $30 million budget.

Pre-production spending on ``Superman Lives'' topped $100 million before Warner Bros. decided to deep-freeze the project early this year. At that point, publicists were ordered to destroy all materials for ``Superman Lives.''

Disney has been considering dusting off its 1982 computer-world drama ``Tron'' and starting production through its alliance with Pixar Animation.

George Romero is working on a third ``Night of the Living Dead'' sequel called ``Twilight of the Dead.'' He told one reporter, ``I'll never get sick of zombies. I just get sick of producers.''

A ``Twister'' sequel script calls for the heroes to have the ability to destroy tornadoes by dropping weather balloons into their funnels before the twisters reach cities.

Ridley Scott might be working on a ``Blade Runner'' sequel that would feature Harrison Ford's character looking for a way to keep the replicant Rachael alive. The script also might feature Sarah Tyrell as CEO of Tyrell Corp., who will be both the spitting image of Rachael and a replicant.

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Photo: (Color) no caption (Clint Eastwood as Batman)