Actor Pasquesi’s “Factory” series bow June 29 on Spike TV; we hear rumors about big possibilities

ACTOR DAVID PASQUESI’S TV SERIES, “Factory,” will bow June 29 on Spike TV, but Pasquesi may not see the premiere episode.

He is filming in Rome, in the super big-budget “Angels and Demons” from Imagine Entertainment and based on author Dan Brown’s prequel to “The DaVinci Code.”

The largely improvised “Factory” is about four guys ? Mitch Rouse, Jay Leggett, Michael Coleman and Pasquesi — who grew up together in the same small Illinois town and now work in the local factory.

When a work-related accident creates a job opening, the guys have to decide who should get the promotion, which unfortunately might require actual work.

WE HEAR ? that the producers of the “Batman” franchise are looking into construction for a possible “Batman III” to be shot — we can only hope — in our city’s version of Gotham City. (See the story above about Jerry Vasalotis’ “Batman” fan film.)

THIS IS EVEN BETTER. We hear … and this is only a rumor, hearsay, unconfirmed talk and all that — BUT it’s being bruited about that Springfield might up the filmmakers’ tax incentive ante to 30% and give it a two-year life span. With Illinois politics being what they are, don’t pop the champagne corks yet.

A DATE FOR A PARTY in honor of the tax incentives co-sponsor, Rep. Skip Saviano, will take place as soon as the state representative gives the IPA his choice of dates.

The IPA will hold an officers election July 17. President Sandy Gordon declined to run for a second term as president and U of I producer Lars Ullberg announced he is a contender for that office.

Ullberg returned to Chicago two years ago after producing in Hollywood for 20 years. Gordon is a non-stop agency producer who frequently works in out-of-town locations.

BACK TO “BATMAN. Navy Pier IMAX theatre will host 72 hours of “Batman,” starting at midnight Friday July 18 and screening consecutively all weekend, including “The Dark Knight,” until the Sunday, July 20 midnight show. Several “Dark Knight” scenes were shot in IMAX.

SAG’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY GALA Saturday night at Salvage One was a smashing success, with more than 500 beautifully dressed guests in attendance, to the extreme pleasure of SAG executive director

Eileen Willenborg and the hard-working Gala Committe, headed by Steve Spencer,

Chicago native Virginia Madsen, showed up as sceduled, but her brother Michael Madsen was unable to attend. A surprise guest was Harry Lennix, another Chicago native.

Funds raised by the Gala will be shared by the SAG Foundaton and the Chicago branched, to be used for the benefit of the membership.

“DIMINISHED CAPACITY,” Steppenwolf Films’ new comedy, will have its Chicago premiere at the July 1 Midwest Independent Film Festival. Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney directed and Tim Evans was executive producer.

The story is about a man ( Matthew Broderick) suffering from memory loss who takes a trip to a memorabilia expo with his Alzheimer’s-impaired relative ( Alan Alda) and his high school flame ( Virginia Madsen ), where the trio plans to finalized their scheme to sell a rare baseball card.

OSHKOSH-BASED IATSE Local 470 business agent Stephen Dedow was more than pleased ? make that EXTREMELY delighted – with the economic impact of “Public Enemies'” having shot in the area.

He estimates that wages for 470 members who worked on “Public Enemies,” which shot for five weeks in the area, including future estimates for post, totaled $345,397, or $419,952 with wage/benefits.

To put it in perspective, he says, “In 2007 our total payroll revenues brushed $2 million for the entire year. In five weeks we have achieved over 20% of that total with this single production.”

FLOYD WEBB of e22.digital.filmworks is collaborating with Tanzanian producer Beatrix Muguishagwe of Abantu Visions on the 13-part documentary series “Unsung Heroines” about African women leaders. Singer Angelique Kidjo hosts.

“Unsung Heroines” had its South African premiere in February and is in talks for TV and home video distribution throughout Africa and abroad.

Webb is in post-production on his own feature documentary “The Search for Count Dante,” about the notorious Chicago martial arts instructor John Keehan, aka Count Dante, “The Crown Prince of Death,” who died in 1975.

LOOKING WAY AHEAD. The 44th Chicago International Film Festival will honor Academy award winning actor Sidney Poitier with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oct. 18 Black Perspectives Tribute, hosted by Fox News’ Robin Robinson.