Fans of the web series “Poor Paul” can catch up with more adventures of the hapless title character when a new indie movie of the same name makes its Pittsburgh debut on Saturday.

The red carpet rolls out at 6 p.m. at the Hollywood Theater, 1449 Potomac Ave., Dormont. The screening begins at 7 p.m.

With creators and cast members including Pittsburgh natives Nick Pasqual and Abhi Sinha, the film is described by its creators as “a self-aware, action-adventure, romantic comedy.”

The web series, which ran from 2008 to 2011, followed Paul, a socially awkward college student who lived a rich fantasy life in which he was the hero of every scenario. It won a 2009 Webby Award for best writing.

In the movie, Paul inherits 500,000 frequent flyer miles and takes his roommates Clyde and Jason on a trip around the world.

“We meet this eccentric Italian man and his beautiful daughter, and he becomes hell-bent on Paul marrying his daughter,” said Pasqual, who plays Clyde. “We end up on the run from this man, Leonardo, and his goons for the rest of the movie.”

From Europe to Iraq, “we’re taking the gang on a ridiculous adventure that is way more epic than the original web series ever was,” he said.

Along with Clyde, the movie’s other two main characters have been recast from the web series. Adam Carbone plays Paul, and Sinha is Jason. The trio also produced and co-wrote the screenplay with director Sean Michael Beyer.

Beyer reprises his web series character, Mr. Ted, and Richard Riehle also returns as Grandpa Paul.

“The web series writers, Geoff Hoff and Steve Mancini, have both passed, unfortunately. They were both beautiful human beings and so funny,” Pasqual said. “We’re dedicating this film to their memory. I think they’d be very proud of what we created from their original ideas.”

The film was shot in 13 days last summer, mostly in Rhode Island, but also in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.

“When you look at this script, in theory, you would think it would require millions and millions of dollars because of the magnitude of it. We actually filmed in a real submarine, we filmed in a helicopter. We have great production value,” Pasqual said. “As Sean Michael Beyer was telling me the other day, we’re excited for audiences to see this indie film that is made with heart and soul instead of millions of dollars.”

‘I’m making it’

For Pasqual, the movie-making process was a family affair: his parents, Susan and H. Paul Pasqual, were co-executive producers and his brother, Paul G. Pasqual, has helped with the promotion in Pittsburgh.

Now 32, Pasqual spent his early years in Mt. Lebanon, moving to Los Angeles with his mother at age 15 on the advice of an acting teacher to pursue his career. His television credits include “How I Met Your Mother,” and the Pittsburgh-filmed series, “Archive 81” and “One Dollar.”

“I got my (Screen Actors Guild) card while doing ‘How I Met Your Mother,’” he said. “That was the moment when I was like, I’m making it — not I made it, but I’m making it.”

He and Sinha met in an acting class in Pittsburgh and have been friends ever since. Sinha’s credits include “This Is Us,” “The Young and the Restless” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

“We started our journeys as actors at about the same time and moved out to L.A. at about the same time. We have always kept in touch, but this is the first project we’re doing together,” Pasqual said. “When we were casting last spring, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, how cool would it be to get Abhi in on this.’ And we had an organic chemistry onscreen that I think shines through.”

Bringing “Poor Paul” to a Pittsburgh audience was important to Pasqual.

“I’m a Pittsburgh boy at heart,” he said. “You can take the boy out of Pittsburgh, but you can’t take Pittsburgh out of the boy. I want one of my next films to be filmed here. That’s my goal, and I have other projects that would be perfect for Pittsburgh.”

Dating to 1925, the Hollywood Theater has the historical cache that makes it perfect for a premiere, Pasqual said.

“We picked the theater in part because of its history,” he said. “To screen our little big film in such a historic venue is quite an honor.

“Living in L.A., I see red carpet premieres, and they’re very exclusive, very invite-only,” he continued. “We wanted this to be open to the public, for people who’ve never experienced a movie premiere to come out and have a fun night. We want Pittsburghers to walk the red carpet with us and feel like a movie star for the night.”

“Poor Paul” is intended for a Motion Picture Association rating of PG-13. The filmmakers are in talks with distributors for a wider release.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the cast and filmmakers. Tickets are $15 at the door, or $10 in advance at hollywoodtheaterpgh.org.