Animated "Simpsons" Family to Move to Big Screen

It seems the Simpsons rumors were true after all and not an April Fool's Day prank, as many has thought... though the fact that Nelson Munz could be heard laughing didn't make it easy to believe.

Variety is (again) reporting that periennial animated series The Simpsons is heading to the big-screen, after a trailer for the film--due in 2007--began airing in theatres on Friday and popped up last night during a new (albeit pretty lame) episode of the series on FOX.

The feature film, set to open worldwide on 27 July 2007, will feature regular castmembers Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardly Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, and Tress MacNeille. Also supplying voices for the film are Albert Brooks, Minnie Driver, and Erin Brockovitch, which could give some hints to the feature film's plotline.

The official announcement comes after a leak in 2001, when it became known that the actors' contract renegotiations contained a clause for a feature option. No word on whether bully Nelson had anything to do with that.