Not so long ago, in this galaxy right here...

It is a period of difficulty for the film industry. In the vastness of the movie jungle, films compete for box office rankings and production companies try to outrun each other by producing what they hope will become the next big hit. Comedies are shot a dime a dozen and it takes just that certain edge or surprise element to garner the respect of the critics and the public eye.

It was in this time of overabundance, that TriggerStreet Productions came upon the script of a movie called Fanboys, written years ago by Ernest Cline. The basic premise of it was something that Ernie, being a big Star Wars fan, could very well relate to: What if it was Halloween 1998, the long awaited release of Episode I was just a few months away, and you found out you wouldn't live to see it because you were dying of a terminal illness? Linus, one of the characters of the movie, is just in that position, and he and his friends— Wait. Let's start at the beginning.

It's the Halloween party they've all been waiting for, to have fun with friends and hang out with fellow Star Wars fans and partners in crime. However, events take a turn when Eric, who long ago outgrew his old gang and their Star Wars antics and took on adult responsibilities, is suddenly in their midst again. Reconnecting is not easy. But soon, Eric, Windows, Hutch and Zoe realize that Linus will not live long enough to experience what's been on their minds for ages: The long-awaited theatrical release of Star Wars - Episode I, which is still several months away. Linus once again suggests to his friends what he's been scheming since fifth grade: Breaking into Skywalker Ranch, this time to steal a print of the movie. Crazy, right? But it might be the only way for Linus to see the movie before he dies. So as insane as it sounds, they take Hutch's van and embark on a mission to drive across half the country to the Ranch.

Of course these guys make stops on their way to their ultimate destination, most prominently in Austin, TX , where they meet up with one of Windows' online friends and in Iowa to visit Captain Kirk's future birthplace. In Las Vegas, NV a meeting with an anonymous informant is arranged who will supply them with blueprints of the Skywalker Ranch. Furthermore there is a meeting with a native shaman, a very hot Biker Bar scene and a run-in with the law. Whether they actually manage to reach their destination and make Linus's last dying wish come true remains to be seen.

But back to the beginning, back to Ernie's script. TriggerStreet loved it, and the movie went into production in early 2006. The talented, young cast consisted of Sam Huntington as Eric, Chris Marquette as Linus, Dan Fogler as Hutch, Jay Baruchel as Windows (aptly named so for his glasses and not for the operating system) and Kristen Bell as Zoe. Star Wars and science fiction icons such as Billy D. Williams, Carrie Fisher, Ray Park, Christopher Macdonald and William Shatner agreed to come in and do cameos. Seth Rogen appears in the film in three different roles. With director Kyle Newman at the helm, a huge Star Wars fan himself, principal photography wrapped in spring 2006.

A theatrical release was tentatively planned for fall 2006, but towards the end of the year the word was that it was going to come out in February 2007. February came and went, and the first officially announced release date was finally set for August 17, 2007. However, as summer approached, it became clear that there would be another pushback.

The Weinstein Company owned the rights to the movie, and in recent years their track record of successfully releasing comedies that would make a substantial amount of money at the box office hadn't exactly been phenomenal. It felt like they were putting their hopes in Fanboys, and what they wanted it to be was a comedy that would appeal to the masses and draw especially the young viewers to the ticket booth queues. While they tried to decide on a strategy how to market it, the movie's release date was pushed back to January 18, 2008.

Around summer 2007, a decision was made to reshoot scenes for the movie, one and a half years after initial shooting had wrapped. Getting the actors back together proved difficult, but in November and December 2007 everyone was reconvened and new material was shot with a different director by the name of Stephen Brill. There were reports of the Weinstein Company not being happy with the cancer storyline of the movie, so it was eliminated entirely. The film was spruced up to be a plain road movie comedy, telling the story of five healthy, young men and women who love Star Wars so much that they travel to their Mecca to see the movie they can't wait for. The Weinstein's reasoning was that the mention of a terminal illness wouldn't sell well enough, that the audience would not be amused by something as grave and distressing as cancer. It did not matter that a rough cut of the (original) movie had been screened at Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2007 that had the crowd laughing, cheering and giving the movie and its creative team three long standing ovations.

And here is where the Weinstein Company made a costly mistake. They underestimated the dedication of the people that the movie was originally made for: the Star Wars fans. It didn't take long for voices to pipe up online about how unhappy the fandom was at hearing that the movie that they had expected to be a tribute to them was going to be turned into mindless entertainment for the masses. A group of dedicated fans started an online campaign that they called Stop Darth Weinstein (From Ruining Fanboys). Thousands of fans e-mailed Weinstein Co. employees to make their voices heard about their discontent at recent developments and plot changes. A website was put up to keep people up to date on the campaign. The campaigners asked fans to boycott all Weinstein Co. movies coming to theaters by not paying money to see them. Even a protest event was arranged at one of the AMC theaters in Los Angeles, which was quickly dispersed by admittedly prearranged security guards.

Still, the outcry didn't go unnoticed. Several high profile entertainment websites reported about the controversy, among others Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair and IMDb. This forced The Weinstein Company to issue a press release stating that both versions of the movie would be released on the DVD, which they hoped would appease the campaigners. However, the protests went on, and eventually the good news filtered through to the fans: Kyle Newman and the original creative team had been brought back to the editing room and they were working on a final cut that would include the cancer storyline. More power to the fans, their voices had been heard.

In July 2008 the final cut was screened at San Diego Comic Con, and was very well received there also. It was announced that the movie would finally be released in theaters on September 19, 2008. However, this date was moved again shortly thereafter to November 26, 2008. Not surprisingly, this date didn't hold either—now we're hearing February 2009, three years from the beginning of production on the film. And all kinds of rumors are flying again.

It's an understatement to say that with every pushback it gets harder for anything the Weinstein Company says to retain any sense of credibility. It's no surprise at all that doubts emerge and resurface all over the place—doubts about the quality of the movie, doubts about the Weinstein Company's marketing strategy or their willingness to support the movie, doubts about whether the movie is ever going to be released. The idea that it will only play in 50 theaters nationwide does not help matters or instill a whole lot of confidence.

And now, all around the globe, people are disputing whether the whole reshoot/re-edit controversy and the Stop Darth Weinstein campaign's attention mongering did the movie more harm than good. Just recently Seth Rogen said in an interview that he blames the internet buzz for the delay of Fanboys. Says Rogen, "I think it's a good lesson in not listening to people on the Internet. I think [the producers] got scared by Internet buzz and I'm of the thought that Internet buzz is literally influenced by 500 people with laptops."

The only advice for Mr. Rogen I have is to get his facts straight. In his own words he encouraged filmmakers not to worry about early reactions and just make the movies they want to make. And that, dear Seth, is exactly what the whole internet controversy was about. The filmmaker's version of the movie was the one that the fans were fighting for, and not the one that the studio tried to mess with because they got scared.

Putting the discord aside for a minute, several reviews of various versions of the movie that were screened to audiences have popped up online. Naturally, opinions differ. A lot of reviewers seem to agree on one thing, though: It's a "teen comedy". Excuse me if I raise my hand and tell you that, no, it's not. None of the characters are teens. The main characters are all supposed to be around the age of 25, and that's exactly the age they appear to be on the screen. One could argue that it is a movie for teens. Maybe so, but not exclusively. It's a movie for adults as much as it is for teens.

If we want to press the movie into any genre mold that the film industry offers, the shoe that fits best might be "road movie". The fanboys' road trip is everything a road movie should be: adventurous, perilous, fun, weird, surprising, awkward, risky and risqué. And most of all, it is entertaining and makes you laugh, smile and chuckle. If you've ever been a fan of anything enough to talk about it with other fans, you will also nod in understanding more than once and may even find a bit of yourself in the fanboys you're watching.

And this brings us to another point that has been raised in many of the reviews: that it is a movie mainly for geeks, Star Wars geeks in particular. I would have to disagree again. While of course the movie operates on whole different levels for you if you know and love Star Wars, it also works just as a celebration of geekdom in general. Anyone who loves their fandom with a passion can relate to what these guys are talking about and going through, some might even admire their dedication. Is the film perhaps a wee bit more fun when you're a Star Wars fan? Well, sure, because some of the inside jokes will be lost on you if you've never seen Star Wars in your life. Does that mean the movie's gonna be lame if you don't like Star Wars? Hardly, and I speak from experience because I wouldn't call myself a Star Wars fan. Still, I had a great time watching Fanboys, and I didn't laugh any less than the true Star Wars geeks in the audience.

Where my own impression of the movie is concerned: I loved it. I was lucky enough to see a brand new print of the final cut in October 2008, and I am grateful (though not entirely surprised) that my conviction to stand up for this movie and the original cut was affirmed by everything I saw on the screen. It's funny, sweet and shows you a good time with enough of an emotional substory to keep it grounded and meaningful.

And, yes, it is an homage to Star Wars fans. The much quoted Kyle Newman statement that it is "a movie for the fans by the fans" is just as true for the final cut as it is for the original version of the film. All in all, it's a very entertaining movie with a powerful message: What's more loving than taking on the impossible just to try making the dying wish of a cherished friend come true before it's too late? Of course it has its weaknesses, and some of them have been pointed out before, such as a young man dying of cancer who looks just a little too healthy. But what's most important is the notion that you will walk out of the theater with a good feeling and a hopeful smile on your lips.

And if I may just make one final remark about the cancer plot's presence or absence... If anything, they should have deepened the emotional substory instead of curtailing it. Without it, I remain convinced that the movie would have been a shallow road comedy without any anchor in reality. It would have been another funny but average geek comedy. It would not have been special, it would not have been a love letter to any fan of any fandom. As far as I'm concerned, it was the right decision to put the cancer story back in. And I would like to thank the Stop Darth Weinstein campaigners for being the spark igniting the explosion that hit the Weinstein Company's offices and made them change their minds.

Last but not least, here's a message for the Dan Fogler bashers: I personally cannot acquiesce to the statement that Dan is annoying or irritating. I would even go as far as saying that he and Chris Marquette stole the show. Acting wise, everyone did a really good job. Kristen Bell is definitely a marvel to look at. Kyle Newman put together a very talented and wonderful cast that bring the movie and its characters to life. If you enjoy cameos, you'll definitely have a lot of fun with this movie.

Sadly, the treatment and recognition a movie deserves often differs from the treatment and recognition it ultimately gets. And this movie definitely deserves to be treated better than it has been so far. There is absolutely no reason why this movie couldn't be released now. What's it gonna take for the Weinstein Company to realize that with the right kind of promotion and exposure, they might just have a product on their hands that they can actually turn into something that movie goers will gladly pay money for and still talk about long after they've left the theater?

T.J. Bornemann
www.chris-marquette.com
24-Oct-2008