Harry Potter has got to end sometime, and by "sometime" I mean in less than three years when the second cinematic half of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sees release. And some people would like to still have a career when that happens, thank you very much. To that end, Rupert Grint -- a.k.a. Ron Weasley -- has taken a role in an indie film called Cherry Bomb, which sounds about as far from Harry Potter as you can get without developing an erotic fixation on horses.

The film, written by acclaimed playwright Daragh Caville, focuses on three teens who set out for a wild weekend of drugs, sex and crime only to see it escalate into something far more serious than they imagined. It co-stars relative unknowns Robert Sheehan and Kimberley Nixon, and is set for release next year.

While Daniel Radcliffe has tried more extreme methods of branching out (mainly by taking that infamous role in Equus, which is coming to Broadway per the above link) and Emma Watson hasn't done very much at all (she voices a character in this year's The Tale of Despereaux, but that seems to be it), Grint has spent what spare time he has toiling away in indieville. Cherry Bomb was preceded by the reasonably well-received and much less racy Driving Lessons, about a troubled boy's friendship with a retired actress.

Disney has Pixar. Fox has Blue Sky. Paramount has, for now, Dreamworks. As seemingly the last studio to get into animated features, Universal has offered up the trailer for their maiden effort, The Tale of Despereaux, over at Yahoo! Movies.

Based upon the 2003 Newbury Award-winning novel by Kate DiCamillo, the film follows the adventurous antics of Despereaux (voiced by Matthew Broderick), a mouse with large ears and - I'm just guessing here - an even bigger heart, as he bucks the status quo of cowardice that seems to have imprisoned his kind to a fearsome existence.

Besides being an animated tale of a brave rodent with a tongue-tricky title and thus fated to merit comparison to those which have recently set lofty standards for similar fare, this project genuinely looks and sounds pleasant enough for all its yay-for-being-yourself familiarity. Besides, there's only more hope to be had when we're looking at a voice cast that includes the likes of Broderick, Kevin Kline, Dustin Hoffman, Sigourney Weaver, Stanley Tucci, William H. Macy, and Tony Hale, not to mention a Harry Potter veteran or two.

With its eye on the year-end holiday season, The Tale of Despereaux is scheduled to hit theaters on December 19th.

It's been a busy week for Emma Watson. Not only did she turn 18 (a landmark which caused no small amount of cheering among the guys I know -- you pervs!), and not only did she inherit her Harry Potter fortune, but now she's landed her first real non-Potter role. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she is going to star in Napoleon and Betsy, a historical romance written and directed by Benjamin Ross. It is set to begin shooting in the fall to work around the scheduled 2009 start of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Watson will play Betsy, a young and headstrong noblewoman who is trapped on the island of St. Helena. There, she meets and falls in love with the exiled Napoleon. It's based loosely on a true story -- the real Betsy was all of thirteen, and wrote a book recalling how Napoleon enjoyed playing childish games with her and her siblings. Not quite Harlequin material. I can't help but think that a movie about a playful Napoleon might be more interesting than a bodice ripper. (Possibly, bodices will not be ripped.) The role originally belonged to Scarlett Johannson, who gave it up when the film headed in a younger direction. She is still set to produce the film.

As Napoleon was 46-years-old when exiled to St. Helena, they must really be aiming for the "creepy" level. Perhaps Hollywood will re-imagine him as a handsome twenty-something. I'm envisioning James McAvoy, at least for Watson's sake.

Not only is playing a Harry Potter character one of the most sought after jobs for British actors, it apparently is a gig some of them wish they could keep. In an interview with MTV, Kenneth Branagh, who played Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, revealed that he was hoping to see his character's name prominently featured in the seventh and final book, Deathly Hallows. That way he could return to the movie franchise, something he had also hoped for with the making of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (the character appears briefly in that book). But Branagh didn't simply want a little cameo in the final movie, he jokes that he should have been revealed to be Harry's dad. At least, I think that's what he meant. I'm not sure how that plot revelation would have worked out, but I guess since the actor-director was kidding, it doesn't matter.

Branagh did also reveal that he was considered to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, but it ended up going to Alfonso Cuarón. He said the main reason he wanted to direct an installment was because of the kids, who he liked working with a lot. He thought they had more potential than they were exhibiting -- perhaps he can cast some of them in one of his Shakespeare adaptations down the line? I think Emma Watson would make an excellent Viola/Cesario -- which I personally think they finally got to show in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, under Mike Newell's direction. However, when asked whether or not he'd like to helm the adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Branagh said he thinks Warner Bros. will likely choose one of the series' previous directors (Columbus, Cuarón, Newell or Yates), any of whom he thinks would do nicely. Anyway, Shawn over at MTV Movies Blog put out the question of what character the fans most wanted to see reappear in the movies. You could leave him a comment about that over there, or feel free to tell us below.

In the last installment of wonderboy magician, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Daniel Radcliffe's Harry finally got to get his smooch on with Cho Chang. With another book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and older, more insistent adolescent urges, it's Ron Weasley's (Rupert Grint) turn... with a certain girl named Lavender Brown. A whole bunch of hopeful kids, around 7,000, tried out for the role, but a Reuters source says that it has gone to 20-year-old Jessie Cave. The actress hasn't had too much work, but she did appear with Helen Mirren in Inkheart, and will star in a BBC drama called Summerhill next year.

Rupert Grint told CBBC's Newsround: "I was involved with the Lavendar Brown audition and the whole Lavendar thing. Her name's Jessie, and she is really cool, and it's going to be really funny." Man, what a tough job -- getting to go to a casting call and smooching who knows how many girls? I would hope they at least whittled the hopefuls down a little first. While it sounds exciting, smooching 7,000 girls has to give a guy chapped lips, at the very least. Emma Watson, everyone's favorite Hermione, also chimed in about the casting: "She seems really sweet and perfect for the role of Lavender. The casting is so good and I am looking foward to her scenes with Ron. I think it's going to be quite a comic film."

If you're itching to know who else is cast, you won't have to wait too much longer. Reuters says the full cast will be released soon.

On the way home from the midnight screening of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, my 10-year-old daughter/resident Harry Potter fanatic and I had a lively discussion about the books versus the films, which of the five Harry Potter films she likes the best, and which stay truest to the books from which they are adapted. Interestingly, her least favorite film of the series to date is my favorite -- the fourth film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (I actually prefer Alfonso Cuarón's directing for Prisoner of Azkaban, and would love to see him back at the helm for the seventh film, but I like better the storyline of Goblet of Fire).

Although I agree with other Harry Potter fans who've said the fourth book was overlong and could have perhaps been shorter without losing much, I felt that the fourth film did an excellent job of trimming away a lot of the fat, while focusing on those key points that drove the plot forward along the arc of the overall series.

Last week's License to Wed contest reinforced a couple of things for those of us over here at Moviefone. One, if it's bald and looks semi-crazy, it must be Britney Spears. Two, Michael Jackson jokes never get old. Congrats to our License to Wed loot winners below. They'll take home a beach towel tote, a Frisbee and a magnetic word set among other goodies. Alas, they will not be receiving the mechanical pooping baby pictured.

1. "I never even knew the Neverland Ranch had a gift shop." -- Todd G.

2. "Look, he's got your plastic." -- Ross M.

3. "You expect me to hold this thing?" ... "THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!"
-- JD3

See full image and all captions

This week, we have a photo from the eagerly anticipated Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth chapter in the beloved boy-wizard saga. This time around, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) brace for the return of the vile Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and battle to free Hogwarts from the iron-fisted authoritarian rule of Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton). And, in the midst of all this, Harry apparently finds some time to chill in a telephone booth with Ron's dad (Mark Williams).

Writers of our three favorite captions for the photo below will win a veritable Goblet of Fire full of Harry Potter swag, including a Death Eaters T-shirt (handy for those times when you just have to eat the deceased), a wooden notebook with quill and ink (so you can chronicle your hopes and dreams, Ginny Weasley-style) and some Potter temporary tattoos (because you know Harry loves to show off his ink). Good luck!

UPDATE: WINNERS ANNOUNCED! Click Here

Post title edited to remove the details of the latest rumors. Obviously, don't continue reading below if you don't want to know the latest round of rumors.

The U.K. paper The Telegraph recently sat down with the stars of Harry Potter -- HP himself, Daniel Radcliffe, Hermione gal Emma Watson and Ron Weasley -aka- Rupert Grint. During the chat, Watson commented on the rumors circulating about the hacker rumors that circulated recently: "I really want to know what happens. There's a guy who claims he's been able to hack into J. K. Rowling's account, and he's saying that Hermione's going to die, and I found myself getting sad. I hadn't contemplated her dying." Somehow, her death hadn't occurred to me either, and now I'm feeling bad myself. You see, I have this uncanny tendency to really like characters who end up getting axed. Twin Peaks, Scream, Buffy, you name it. (And a different Potter character too, although I won't say who.) If it actually happens, I'm sorry, Emma! It certainly would be a big blow of a twist on the whole death thing. So many people expect Harry to die now that killing Hermione could possibly hurt more. Eh, let's hope not. I don't want to end my Potter experience bummed out.

The interview also delves into lighter topics as well. Radcliffe is apparently a big Peter Sellers fan and wants a film future with dramatic and light-comedy, as well as a whole new kind of world if he was a leader: "Somebody asked me today what I would do if I was a leader of a country and it would be flying saucers and unicycles -- everybody needs a unicycle in life." As for Rupert, ah that kid... It seems he bought an ice cream truck that he drives around: "I don't know why I bought it, but it's really cool. I've always had an interest in the ice cream industry. It's really cool; it's got a freezer in the back and a big kitchen with sinks. It's got a bell that plays a tune. It's really cool." Cool indeed.

The Sunday edition of The Scotsman is reporting today that Sue Quinn, a locations manager for Warner Bros. has been seen in the far north of Scotland, around the area of Cape Wrath, known for its spectacular cliffs and caves. According to the paper, the Harry Potter producers are considering using the caves and cliffs to shoot the climax of the sixth film of the series, when the heroes must travel along a coastline in search of the soul of Voldemort. Among the areas Quinn is known to have checked out include Smoo Cave, a 200 ft. long, 130 ft. wide cave, the Clo Mor cliffs, which are nearly 1,000 ft. high, the Cape Wrath arches, which contain a string of caves, a rock tower called Stac Clo Kearvaig that rises 130 ft., and the Whaligoe Steps cave, which is in a bay enclosed by two sea cliffs. The paper also notes that the Scotland locales are thought to be in competition with similar locations in Ireland and New Zealand.

A harbor master who took Quinn out on his boat to scout the locations told the paper that "she was taking thousands of photographs of the cliffs, caves and rocks. She seemed to be very interested in Smoo Cave and the stacks in particular. Warner Bros. would not comment for the paper, but a spokesperson for VisitScotland said "It would be great if filming for the next Harry Potter movie took place here. 'Set-jetting' is an increasingly popular trend." There's still plenty of time, of course -- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince isn't scheduled to hit theaters until November 28, 2008.

Despite the fact that we all pretty much saw her boobs in the first Spider-Man, Kirsten Dunst apparently had to make them look bigger for Spider-Man 3. She told The Sun that she had to wear a padded bra and that she had no problem doing so. She says she doesn't think it's sexist -- she actually "embraced" the bigger bosom -- and is fully aware that her character's chest is enhanced for the action figures. Of course, the practice of augmenting female features is nothing even remotely new, but it continues to be an issue worth mentioning. Just last week there was a lot of fuss over the posters for the IMAX 3-D version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because Emma "Hermione" Watson's breasts had been re-sized (Warner Bros. claims the poster was not authorized and it has since been removed from the Imax website). If you remember a few years back, a similar issue was brought up regarding Keira Knightley's cup size with the poster for King Arthur.

Dunst also told The Sun that her character helped her to grow in other areas. She says the role has helped her to become a better actress and is very glad that the character was written as more complex than she is depicted as in the comics. Dunst even states that she would like to continue playing Mary Jane, though only if Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire return with her for Spider-Man 4 (we already know she thinks it'd be a flop without them all). Finally, Dunst confirmed to The Sun that her next project is the Marla Ruzicka film, Sweet Relief, which we first heard about a year and a half ago (and heard a little more about a few weeks ago). While the actress cites the Spidey films as the most important so far in her growth as an actress, I imagine that this more-serious role will require her to grow even more if she actually hopes to do the real-life aid worker justice.