''Gangs of New York'' is a must-see for fall 2002

WHY WE CAN’T WAIT ”Gangs” was supposed to hit screens some time back in the postcolonial era that the movie depicts. Okay, maybe not that long ago, but rumors had it scheduled first for December 2001, and then spring 2002. But the stellar cast (Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Daniel Day-Lewis, among them) and legendary director (Martin Scorsese) have kept the interest level high for this project.

SOURCE MATERIAL The gritty history of the world’s greatest city: New York

PLOT POINTERS DiCaprio as rough-and-tumble immigrant Amsterdam Vallon? Nothing new — ”Titanic” covered that. But Diaz as his pickpocketing belle and Day-Lewis as cutthroat crime-boss rival ”Bill the Butcher”? Now that merits the $10 admission.

BURNING QUESTION Will it be the next ”Titanic” (over-budget, behind-schedule blockbuster) or the next ”Pluto Nash” (megabudget, several-times-delayed disaster)?

COME FOR Day-Lewis — fresh out of ”retirement” (last seen in 1997’s ”The Boxer”)

STAY FOR Day-Lewis — possibly on the verge of going BACK into retirement