Some very exciting news has just hit the net (though it's been quietly talked about for a good while now): Fanboys will screen at San Diego Comic Con later this week, on Thursday, July 24, and will apparently hit theaters this September. Finally! First, for the Con news: Tickets for this special screening will be given away to the first 300 people in line at the Lucasfilm's 7th Annual Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge, held on Thursday at 8:30pm in Ballroom 20. Fanboys director Kyle Newman will be on hand to introduce some footage during the awards ceremony before the full-length screening at 10:30pm. Right on!

But then came this quote from the film's producer Kevin Spacey: "I could not be more excited that 'Fanboys' is being released this September and is the version of the film that the fans want. I am enormously grateful to Jedi Knight Harvey Weinstein for having allowed Trigger Street to restore "Fanboys" to its original story and am thrilled that it will first screen during Comic-Con." Unfortunately, an exact date did not follow those words, but it's definitely nice to know the film will arrive (hopefully in theaters and NOT straight to DVD) with its original story in only a month or so from now. Double right on!

You bet Cinematical will be attending this screening, and we'll try our best to get you folks the inside word from the Fanboys creators as it all goes down. May the force be with you ... and feel free to read the official press release after the jump.

[via IESB]

OK, so maybe they aren't turning all their movies into Broadway musicals, but it sure seems like it. According to Variety, The Weinstein Co. is out to produce a number of adaptations for the stage, beginning with Finding Neverland, which is expected to hit the stage in 2010 (or re-hit the stage, since the movie was based on a play by Allan Knee). After that, it's a stage version of Pink Floyd's The Wall (apparently adapted from the album, not Alan Parker's 1982 film). Then, other titles in the pipeline include the Miramax hits Shakespeare in Love, Chocolat, Save the Last Dance and Cinema Paradiso. Wait, a stage musical based on a movie that celebrates moviegoing? That's gotta be one of the dumbest things I've heard.

These certainly aren't the first movies to be exploited adapted for the stage, and they won't even be the first stage productions from the Weinsteins, who also had a hand in Tony-winner "August: Osage County," as well as the hit stage adaptation of The Producers and the soon-to-be-a-film "Frost/Nixon." The Finding Neverland musical is already being written, with book by original playwright Knee and music by "Grey Gardens" composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie. The Wall also is in the works under the care of playwright/screenwriter Lee Hall (Billy Elliot).

So far, it appears TWC is only adapting Miramax films, from back when the Weinsteins were in charge there, but maybe one day we'll get to see "Grindhouse: The Musical" or a stage adaptation of Fanboys (maybe it can even hit the stage before theaters, at the rate it's going).

It has been deathly quiet on the Fanboys front, which suggests that no one would see this movie if the Weinstein Co. paid them to. Well, that's probably an overstatement, but it certainly is a dead horse.

Then again, there might be a flutter of life. According to the New York Times, the Weinstein Co. have brought original director Kyle Newman back to create a final cut of the film. "I have been brought back into the editing room to work on a final version," Newman told the Times. "All the key people are back. That's all good."

Of course, there is still no news on a release date, nor whether it will ever be put into theatres or merely relegated to direct-to-DVD. (We also don't know which storyline will be kept in; the cancer one, or the non-cancer one.) It's rather interesting that the Weinstein Co. conceded to the fan backlash -- the backlash they said didn't really exist. If they can appease those petition signers and protest stagers, could they actually turn a profit on this film?

As the smoke cools on the Fanboys drama, the boys behind it are managing to find work elsewhere. The Hollywood Reporter writes that Ernie Cline, co-writer of the never-to-be-seen film, has just sold his comedy spec Thundercade to Lakeshore Entertainment. (And yes, that's Cline to the right. I think writers should get pictures too.)

Thundercade is the story of a video game junkie facing a midlife crisis who learns that a young punk had broken a record he set as a teen. He and his two best friends embark on a journey to reclaim his place in video game history and win the world's ultimate gaming championship, Thundercade.

Sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it? A bit like a journey of some geeks to Skywalker Ranch. But it also sounds a little like an adult version of The Wizard, which I have fond memories of. Anyway, at least Lakeshore will not actually cut out the midlife crisis bit because it strikes them as a bit sad.

Or did it? It seems it depends on who you ask. The Hollywood Reporter has a long story recounting the Fanboys supporters' attempt to picket Superhero Movie. The protest actually grabbed a few headlines, which would suggest there were numerous stormtroopers out there sticking it to the man -- claims denied by AMC theatre reps and by the Weinstein Co.

The 501st (who are now denying any official stance or organized protest) says that at least 14 members showed up at a New York AMC, but when confronted by security guards, chose to buy a ticket to see 21 instead. They also claim that 20 stormtroopers showed up at Century City, but were asked to leave the mall by security guards. AMC denies both incidents occurred, and that the only protester in Century City was a lone Darth Vader.

A source close to the film says that it was eight protesters in Century City, and that they were taken out for pizza by a producer. That's certainly confirmed by a quote from producer Matthew Perniciaro: "We've been working on this movie for many years, and if someone is going to take time out of their personal life and support our film, whatever that support might be, at the very least what we can do is say thank you and buy them a couple of slices of pizza for caring abut this project as much as we do."

I shouldn't need to go through this whole thing again, so if you have no idea what's currently going on with the film Fanboys, read this, this and this -- and then come back. A little while ago I received the craziest email from a good pal, and that email contained three other email exchanges between director Steve Brill (aka the dude who took over for Kyle Newman during reshoots) and fans of the original cut of Fanboys. A couple of notes before I post these emails:

• No matter how cruddy the director is, I do not support attacking the man's cut when you haven't even seen it yet. I've made that clear before, and I'll say it again now. However, his other films are definitely fair game.
• I've confirmed with a source "in the know" that this is indeed Steve Brill behind these emails; that, originally, he confessed to them, but then tried to say someone hacked his email account when he realized how much of a complete idiot he came off as. But note that I have not talked to Brill myself (though I'm totally willing to do so, Steve, so email me), so I'm not 100% certain this was him. More like 96.5%.
• Also, I've tried to clean up the foul language as best I can, but do keep in mind that these email exchanges aren't exactly safe for work.

That said, head after the jump to read these hysterical exchanges ...

Who's really behind the campaign to boycott all Weinstein Co. films until the original cut of Fanboys is shown in theaters? And are they the same group of people everyone thinks is behind this whole thing? I'll leave it at that. As you've probably already noticed, the whole Fanboys debacle heated up once again today when a press release announcing the Weinsteins plans to release both versions (cancer version, non-cancer version) of the film on DVD, while they "explore" theatrical options, hit the inbox of every movie blogger in the known universe.

This came on the heels of a potential boycott of the latest Weinstein Co. release, Superhero Movie, by a group of Star Wars fans who simply want to see one version -- the original version -- of their beloved Fanboys up on the big screen. Since the press release, the group has responded with plans to still go ahead and stage two large Superhero Movie protests this Friday in New York and Los Angeles. According to a Cinematical source close to the production, no one involved in the film (producers, director, etc ...) were made aware of these newest developments prior to the press release hitting the public. And apparently some folks are pissed.

They're pissed the film is being yanked around. They're pissed at the lack of progress. And they're pissed that the new director brought on (Steve Brill) knows jack about Star Wars. Seriously. Word has it the dude never even saw the original Star Wars when he was hired to re-shoot Fanboys. (But that's a rumor, it hasn't been confirmed and you didn't hear it from me ...)

In a move highly reminiscent of Fanboys idol George Lucas, the Weinsteins have announced they will be releasing two editions of the still-unreleased movie on DVD. The problem is, they still haven't announced a theatrical or DVD release date for either version.

The Hollywood Reporter has the long and torturous story. If you've been following this poor film's route, you know that the movie centers on a group of friends trying to sneak into Skywalker Ranch so that their cancer-stricken friend can see The Phantom Menace. The Weinsteins decided the entire cancer subplot should be removed, and spent $2 million on reshoots, only to have the film begin failing test screenings.

Now, fans (led, it must be said, by the 501st Stormtrooper Legion) have gone on the warpath. 30,000 e-mails have been sent to the production company, along with threats of a boycott of all Weinstein films, a picket line at Superhero Movie, and cries of "Darth Weinstein!" have forced the company's hand -- slightly. The Weinstein Co has agreed to release two versions of the film on DVD -- the original, and the reshot version, and are pondering whether to release both in the theatre.

Here's the Fanboys synopsis currently up on IMDb: "Star Wars" fans travel to Skywalker Ranch to steal an early copy of "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" for their dying friend."

Problem is, that's not the movie everyone will see when it eventually hits theaters. There's been a ton of talk surrounding the Fanboy re-cuts; how the cancer storyline was taken out, how Kyle Newman was replaced as director, and how the Weinsteins have pretty much turned Fanboys into a completely different film from what was originally intended. Yesterday, fans wrote into AICN claiming to have donated props for the film, and were upset over all these changes. So upset they were starting a campaign against The Weinstein Co., hoping to get Newman's original cut released instead of this new one.

Thanks to a well-placed, super delegate secret spy source, Cinematical was able to get the real skinny on what was going on with Fanboys. Some of this info is new, some old, but I have confirmed all of it to be true. First off, Kyle Newman definitely was replaced as director for the re-shoots by Steve Brill (Without a Paddle). The "dying of cancer" storyline was completely dumped, and, instead, the fanboys are now trying to sneak a copy of Phantom Menace simply because they're fans and want to see it. According to my source, the story is now "disjointed, nonsensical and lacking any heart."

Oh, there's more ...

Heck, if Trekkies could get their own documentary (or two), isn't it about time those Star Wars nuts out there get their turn? Eventually, we'll get to see the movie Fanboys; about a group of Star Wars fans who attempt to break into the Lucas ranch in order to sneak a copy of The Phantom Menace before anyone else. Now, Joblo tells us that some peeps are putting together a new documentary called The People vs. George Lucas -- and while, at first glance, it appears to be a doc about people who want to trash the moves Lucas has made in recent years, JB promises us that "the movie plans to address various issues surrounding the series and offer a balanced argument between supporters and those with fluctuating or fading faith in the Force ..."

The cool thing about this film, which will be directed by Alexandre O. Philippe, is that they're looking to incorporate videos from Star Wars fans. So, if you're a big Skywalker nut and have a very strong opinion on where Lucas has taken the franchise over the years, you can record yourself and send it to the filmmakers. From the official website: "The idea is to create a fan film for and partly by fans in a style paying tribute to the YouTube phenomenon." The first teaser poster for The People vs. George Lucas has also been released (see right, and view full size after the jump), and so now it'll be interesting to see what comes out first: This film or Fanboys. Nevertheless, I know you're all just dying to see JimmySkyvadar618 spew Lucas hatred in his underwear from his living room couch -- so give this film some love and help these folks get 'er done.