Pegg’s film attracts geek approval – and stabbing

British writer and actor Simon Pegg's new film has secured geek audience approval at Comic Con, despite apparently provoking a stabbing. A man was hospitalised after being stabbed with a pen just above his eye at the San Diego pop culture festival, which ended yesterday.

The attacker was arrested immediately and now faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. According to some reports, the two geeks had clashed as they fought for a seat for Pegg's event – a cast discussion of sci-fi comedy Paul, which is released next year.

Another report claimed the argument was over the fans' differing views on the merits of Resident Evil. But whatever the cause, Pegg evidently decided the show must go on – with co-stars Nick Frost, Sigourney Weaver, and Seth Rogen.

Facing what movie industry bible Variety called a "virtual geek uprising" of excitement, Pegg revealed that the motivation to write the film came to him and co-writer Frost when they were waiting for rain to stop as they filmed the 2004 movie Shaun of the Dead. The pair decided they should write something set in a warmer climate.

The resulting movie, Paul, tells the story of two nerdy sci-fi fans – played by Pegg and Frost – who stumble upon a real alien. The wise-cracking extra-terrestrial, voiced by Rogen, steals the show.

The hit of the festival, Paul was bound to impress the assembled sci-fi and comics nerds because part of the film is actually set at the Comic Con – though Pegg told the audience they were refused permission to film there by the San Diego fire marshall and had instead to recreate the event in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz star has a long record of geekery. Spaced, the sit com that brought him to fame in the UK, featured constant references to sci-fi and comics. Last year, he played Scotty in JJ Abrams's Star Trek reboot. ·