Now that former Sex Pistols leader John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) has

assaulted fans in person, on record and in print, it only makes sense that the

punk-rock icon's next step would be the big screen.

Lydon has signed a deal with Rhino Films to develop a feature-length film

version of his 1995 autobiography, "Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs" -- a

book as scathing and full of vitriol as you might expect from the always acerbic

singer.

"When John and I started kicking around the idea of finding a home for this

project, we immediately dismissed approaching major studios," said Eric

Gardner, Lydon's manager, of the film. "We felt it would fly in the face of the spirit

of the times and John's old bands and wouldn't ring true if, all of a sudden, Fox

was making a $30 million picture of John's biography. It wouldn't be faithful to

the spirit of consciousness that John finds himself wallowing in today."

Gardner said that Lydon will have very "pro-active" creative control, including a

say in selecting a scriptwriter and director and in casting decisions. However,

the film will absolutely not feature Lydon as himself. Representatives for Rhino

Films declined to comment on the deal for this article. (Rhino Films, an

independent movie company affiliated with the acclaimed, archive-oriented

Rhino record label, recently released the movie adaptation of Hunter S.

Thompson's notorious book "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.")

In addition to negotiating the deal for his autobiographical film, Lydon just

completed a cameo role as a film-festival party-planner in "The Independent," a

feature starring Janeane Garofalo.

Gardner said there are also plans to produce a "definitive," full-length

documentary about the Sex Pistols, the pioneering punk-rock band. A Sex

Pistols reunion-tour film, based on their 1996 concert blitz, also may be in the

offing.

The Sex Pistols documentary, five years in the works, does not yet have a

home, according to Gardner, but is being seriously considered by an unnamed

British film company.

"It will have every bit of film ever shot of the band," Gardner said, adding that the

20-plus hours of unedited material from 1976-78 includes all the live footage of

the seminal punk band, as well as behind-the-scenes shots. Also expected for

inclusion are in-the-studio and rehearsal shots and the only extended interview

ever filmed of late Pistols bassist Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen.

Julian Temple, who lensed the pseudo-Pistols documentary flick "The Great

Rock 'N' Roll Swindle," shot much of the footage to be used in the documentary

and is expected to edit the film.

Although they filmed three full shows during the 1996 Sex Pistols reunion tour,

Gardner said none of the material from those performances would be used in

the documentary. "We shot a handful of those shows," Gardner said, "and, if it

comes together, we hope to deliver a separate home video by the end of the

year." Gardner said current plans call for the tour film to have a limited theatrical

release as well.

One project that won't be revived any time soon, however, is the re-release of

Lydon's commercially disappointing electronica-tinged solo album, Psycho's

Path. It was originally released last year by Virgin Records. Lydon

successfully got control of the album from his longtime label and vowed to shop

it elsewhere, telling Addicted To Noise, "The record company let me

down in the most serious way possible," blaming a lack of publicity and

promotional effort for a canceled tour and lackluster sales.

Psycho's Path featured mixes of songs performed by Lydon with

electronica act Leftfield, as well as remixes by the Chemical Brothers, Moby and

Danny Saber (Black Grape).

Gardner said the solo album, "lost in the sea of Virgin executive transition," is

old news for now. "We decided not to take it elsewhere," Gardner explained. He

added that Lydon, who founded the post-punk art-rock band Public Image Ltd.

after the Sex Pistols' break-up, "has decided to take a break from the music

industry."

Finally, Gardner teased that he will soon be announcing yet another venture by

Lydon -- a U.S. television series. The irascible singer just might be hosting his

own talk show. Watch out, Jerry Springer.