So many years have passed without a release for the Weinstein Company’s Fanboys we’re surprised some kook hasn’t retitled it Cannedboys for his own sad amusement. Today word arrived via AICN that Judd Apatow’s producing partner Shauna Robertson is overseeing the film with possible reshoots and a major edit to the film’s plotline involving a fanboy with cancer.
The story follows a group of friends who try to break in Skywalker Ranch to steal a copy of Star Wars Episode 1. The reason they finally agree to do it is because one of the friends in dying of cancer and won’t live to see it in theaters. Apparently the Apatow people have done research which says most people won’t laugh for 5 or 10 minutes after cancer is mentioned so they want to do away with the entire cancer subplot and I’ve heard they have a version which edited out the entire cancer plot.
Mind you, the quote above comes from a “friend of a friend close to the production,” but either way, it sounds like there’s activity once again with the troubled production. How much of a hands-on role Judd Apatow has in this, if any, is unknown. If you’re asking what would replace such a pivotal aspect (re: cancer boy) of the flick if it’s in fact redacted, the source says the Weinstein Co. wants to make the fanboys’ mission a nutty idea for the sake of nuttiness a la a prototypical heist flick. I haven’t seen the movie, but Harry Knowles says such a change would suck its “soul” out. How do you feel about it? The last tentative date for the film in a litany of them was set for next weekend. More on on Fanboys‘ predicament as it develops.
January 14th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
this movie must’ve really been bad because they’ve postponed it for about a year now and keep tweaking it. At one time Clerk’s Scott Mosier was doing some editing to try and fix it but apparently that wasn’t enough. The release date they’ve given it also gives implications of it sucking.
January 14th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
sadly, this movie will hit my eyes on dvd at this point
January 14th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
This is Films Duke Nukem Forever.
20 Nerd Points to whoever gets that.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
LOL Allynd… No shit eh?
Code name: when (Weinstein says) its done.
Revenge of this Sith will be released on VHS before Fanboys makes it to theaters.
( an Extra 50 Nerd Points for getting that one)
( while on topic… Theres a page and a half interview with me and my wife in this months issue of Star Wars Insider magazine!!…its a geeks dream come true. :)
January 15th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Jesus, I’ve been hearing about this project for TEN YEARS now. I remember hearing it mentioned right alongside Free Enterprise!
January 30th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Well, to those who haven’t seen it, from one who saw it At Star Wars Celebration Europe, 14th July 2007 in the Platinum Suite Theatre ExCel - THERE WAS NO NEED TO MESS WITH THIS SAVE SWEETENING. If they go with the non-cancer version, it’ll be just another film to reside in the Meet The Spartans/Scary Movie/ Epic Movie dustbin. The film without the MAIN DRIVING FORCE behind the story and it’s characters will be simply so shallow there won’t be enough to make a puddle. This film had a heart as big as a bucket and was funny as hell to boot.
I’m not going and I sure as hell ain’t payig for a version that makes the characters appear selfish shallow and without soul.
YES. the rough cut of the film was THAT good. I could go on, but there is no point. People are so damn impaitent, and have already made up their mids they deserve the “lesser” version.
Real fans deserve better…MUCH better. Period