Mel Gibson talks to the hand.

Variety reports that Mel Gibson is set to star in “Beaver,” a film about a depressed man who finds solace in a beaver hand puppet he wears and talks to. Jodie Foster will direct and co-star as Gibson’s character’s wife.

This will be a reunion for the duo, who co-starred in “Maverick” in 1994. Foster signed on first to direct “Beaver,” and then brought it to Gibson. Steve Carell and Jay Roach were one of the other actor/director pairs rumored to be assocated with the highly-touted script.

“Beaver” topped last year’s Black List, the list by studio readers of the best non-produced scripts (”Beaver” sounds similar to another highly-ranked Black List script, “Lars and the Real Girl” and what this says about the collective psyche of studio readers is for greater minds than mine to determine). The producers are aiming for a September shoot. Better hurry before the talented–but extremely choosy–Foster gets scared off!

Wayne’s World went from being a Saturday Night Live sketch to a movie, as did Coneheads, although that wasn’t quite as successful. And now it looks as though MacGruber, a recurring SNL sketch which unsurprisingly spoofs MacGyver, is also heading for the big screen.

The MacGruber sketches see Will Forte playing MacGyver’s son who, along with his assistant played by Kristen Wiig and the guest star of the week, always find themselves in a locked room with a ticking bomb about to explode. Rather than disarm the bomb, MacGruber invariably gets sidetracked by his own personal issues and ends up getting blown to bits.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jorma Taccone and Lorne Michaels will now be bringing the character to the big screen. Forte and Wiig will reprise their roles, while Ryan Phillipe and Val Kilmer are also being lined up to appear. The movie is being fast tracked and could appear before the MacGyver movie currently being prepped at New Line.

Turning a quick and simple sketch into a full-length feature is a hard job, and is rarely successfully pulled off. The script is already written, with Michaels, Taccone, and Forte contributing to it. The MacGruber movie will see MacGruber pulled out of retirement as a monk to serve his country one last time.

This could either be brilliant or rubbish and it’s too early to tell which it’s likely to be at the moment. The skits are very funny but can the one-dimensional characters be fleshed out enough to make a movie worth seeing? Wayne and Garth managed, so maybe MacGruber can too.

Baywatch was one of the most important television series of the 1990s. And it was very 1990s, running from 1989 to 2001. It was a seminal show not because of any great storylines, acting, or anything actually good, but because it gave pubescent boys a gentle introduction to breasts and the fact that the female form is much more beautiful than the male form. Example: David Hasselhoff vs. Yasmine Bleeth.

I don’t mean to denigrate the show or its legion of (one or two) fans but it wasn’t the best show on TV was it. However, it’s been deemed good enough to be worth turning into a movie, with Paramount Pictures currently preparing to take the lifeguards from the small to the big screen.

But the show is being changed in the process. It was always a lighthearted drama which knew what it was and therefore didn’t take itself too seriously. Now, under the guidance of newly-appointed writer/director Jeremy Garelick, Baywatch the movie is being turned into a comedy.

Garelick told Variety:

“It felt like the template to do a movie that was similar to ‘Stripes’ and ‘Police Academy,’ the comedies I loved growing up. Rather than trying to pitch the tone, I figured it would be easier to write the first act to convey who these characters were.”

After writing 37 pages of script, Garelick was given the job. Although this will be his first directing gig, Garelick has a good pedigree of screen-writing successes, including The Break-Up, which managed to make both Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn look good. The man is clearly a miracle worker.

The new comedy Baywatch will see a couple of unlikely rookie lifeguards attempting to keep up with the more buff and beautiful bods which the series is better known for. I wasn’t keen on the idea of a Baywatch movie but I’m now much more interested than I was. Just one question: Is there a place for The Hoff?

The Ghostbusters, in all their glory.

Are you eagerly awaiting “Ghostbusters III”? If so, well…you have a while to go before the movie actually hits theaters. We do know, though, that it will involve original cast members and also a new group of next generation Ghostbusters (ahh! Ghostbusters IV!!). And if you want to know even more, well, there’s an interview with one of the originals, Harold Ramis, at MakingOf. He goes into some detail about his feelings about the project, including the difficult fact that third movies in a franchise, well, often suck. Enjoy.

Alec Guinness, fighting the Cold War.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Tomas Alfredson, the director behind last year’s acclaimed Swedish film “Let the Right One In,” will be directing a big screen adaptation of John Le Carre’s classic Cold War spy novel, ”Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.” Peter Morgan, the go to guy for political scripts, is writing the screenplay.

The novel was previously adapted as a BBC miniseries in the 1970s, with Alec Guinness starring as retired British intelligence officer George Smiley. It’s really, really good–watch it if you get a chance. However, it was a TV version, so no harm in making a feature film. Tim Bevans of Working Title, the production company behind the new film, says:

“The timing is right for a new screen version of ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ so it’s great for us to be able to continue our creative collaboration with Peter Morgan on this and to have Tomas onboard who we’ve no doubt will bring a unique vision to the material.”

Indeed. The timing is always right for a great spy flick.

Will Smith could say he wants to make a movie where he reads the tax code and studios would sign up.

Variety reports that Francis Lawrence is set to developing and directing “City That Sailed.” Will Smith is producing along with the usual plethora of other entities, and may also star.

“City” is about “a father who lives on the opposite side of the ocean from his daughter. Their bond is so strong that it causes Manhattan to split off and float across the Atlantic.” Andrew Niccol (”The Truman Show”) wrote the inital script; Brian Koppelman and David Levien (”Ocean’s Thirteen”) are rewriting.

Smith isn’t locked in to star yet. He’s busy producing the “Karate Kid” remake that stars his son, Jaden and not rushing to sign any deals until that’s finished, apparently. This script sounds like the kind of mawkish tripe that somehow appeals to Smith; witness “Seven Pounds.” Seriously, this script just sounds awfu. But Smith is as close to a box office lock as there is in movies today, so if he says yes to something, it gets done.

Spider-Man saves screenwriters from unemployment.

Well, if “Spider-Man 4″ sucks, it won’t be because of a lack of input from multiple voices. The first script was written by James Vanderbilt. Then award-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire got a crack at it. Now Variety is reporting that Gary Ross is taking a spin through it.

This shouldn’t be a huge surprise–Ross has had a long association with “Spider-Man” star Tobey Maguire, dating back to when he directed Maguire in “Pleasantville.” He’s also working on Maguire’s scheduling challenged “Tokyo Suckerpunch.”

I don’t feel terribly enthusiastic about this. On the one hand, Ross did write (or at least got the writing credits for) the very good “Big,” and the clever “Dave.” But I guess I always feel somewhat worried about his work because he did such a dreadful job with “Seabiscuit,” a movie based on a rock solid book that seemed like it should have been impossible to mess up. Then again, I suppose I shouldn’t worry too much–the odds are good that Ross won’t be the last writer on the “Spider-Man 4″ script.

“Spider-Man 4″ is expected to start filming early in 2010 and has a release date of May 6, 2011.

If at first you don’t succeed…or if at second you don’t succeed…

In the illustrious pantheon of video games that have been made into movies, the two films based on “Mortal Kombat” are not ranked very high. So now that we live in the era of reboot/remake, it would seem like a fine time to try again, right?

Chris Casamassa, who played Scorpion in the original two movies, says that’s exactly what’s happening. Casamassa told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune (tip via the MTV Movies Blog; I’m not going to try to pretend I regularly scan the SGV Tribune) he is scheduled to begin filming a third “Mortal Kombat” movie in September…

…and that’s it for details. The SGV Tribune article is mostly about Casamassa’s contribution to the area as a martial arts instructor. MTV sayss that although there hasn’t been talk about this movie, it is noteworthy that Warner Brothers has just acquired Midway Games, the original home of “Mortal Kombat.” And why would Casamassa lie, what with his stellar reputation as a martial arts instructor in the San Gabriel Valley at stake? He seems like a reliable sort.

But anyway, no word about whether the movie will be a reboot or a sequel or what, or whether the presence of Casamassa indicates the return of other original cast members (such as the likes of Christopher Lambert, Bridgette Wilson, Robin Shou, and Trevor Goddard). One would think that their would be new, young cast members, with Casamassa there as an original baddie to add some credibility to the proceedings.

There haven’t been many good video games to movies, so it certainly won’t hurt to try again. Hey, it’s not like they’re remaking/rebooting “Casablanca” (though I fully expect to hear that’s in the works).

Captain Nemo shall rule the earth! …or at least McG’s film.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Randall Wallace (”Braveheart”) has been hired to do a rewrite of “Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” the new adaptation of the Jules Verne classic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Disney is the studio guiding light for the project; McG is directing.

The novel is about a sailor who is lost at sea and rescued by Captain Nemo, the helmer of the Nautilus, a submarine (this was written in the 19th c.–submarines were big deals). Nemo is brilliant, mysterious, and driven by a desire to exact revenge on the imperialistic societies he resents.

Now in the novel, the sailor is the main character, the hero, while Nemo is kind of an attractive bad guy. As you can guess from the title of the movie, this version is going to feature Nemo–an antihero, as it were. It seems that Wallace’s script may incorporate at least some elements from Verne’s sequel, “The Mysterious Island,” where we learn more about Nemo: “Nemo is revealed as Indian Prince Dakkar, a rajah’s son who took part in a failed rebellion and lost his wife and children” (remember, these books were written during the age of the Raj).”

Disney says the movie will be an action-adventure, which is good because people like that sort of thing, especially in the summer. THR notes that Wallace will be fitting in this assignment before he begins directing “Secretariat,” the story of the legendary race horse, with Diane Lane starring (goodness, you’d think a horse would star).  

The first Blade movie was not only very cool, being dark, brooding, and kick-ass, it was an important movie because it was the first modern Marvel comic book adaptation, which then went mainstream with the likes of X-Men 2 and Spider-Man. It’s a good movie, still standing up to scrutiny today.

But the Blade series has fizzled out since, with a good second film being followed up by a poor third and then a cable TV spin-off that very few people watched or cared about. Is it now as dead as a dodo or could there actually be some life left in the franchise yet?

It seems so, with Stephen Dorff, who played the first film’s main villain Deacon Frost, and director Stephen Norrington, preparing to make a Blade prequel trilogy. The Sunday Mail reports Dorff as saying:

“It will be a prequel to the Blade movies, Deacon’s story. It’s a new trilogy the director has created. It will cool. We hope to shoot the first film next year. Frost is a character I have never been able to shake.”

While Norrington filled in the details to Comics2Film:

“[The film is] not exactly how the article describes but close. [It has] evolved into a very interesting story…the linkage to ‘Blade’ is still big in the equation.”

I think a Blade prequel could definitely work, but a trilogy may be pushing it a little. If Norrington can capture the look and feel of the original movie then this could wash away the memory of Blade Trinity. But it’s a tall order, and one which I’m not sure will be successful. Especially with Wesley Snipes not being invited to the party.

Jack Ryan is the square-jawed, tough guy, action hero who has been the lead character in four movies so far. Three men have played Ryan, Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck, and there now seems to be room for a fourth name to add to that list.

A new Jack Ryan movie was rumored, confirmed, and then not talked mentioned again, last year. Harrison Ford was first mentioned as being lined up to play the character again, before James Franco’s name was also thrown into the ring. And now we have George Clooney being mentioned as the new Jack Ryan.

Clooney has recently left Warner Bros after 20 years and heading with his production company to Sony. According to The Daily Beast, Sony could have big plans for Clooney, with claims that:

“A source says he expressed interest in playing Jack Ryan when and if Paramount attempts to revive the Tom Clancy series. Clooney seems to recognize that at this time in the world and this time in his life (he’s pushing 50), it’s time for some commercial maintenance.”

I actually think Clooney would make a good Jack Ryan. He has the looks, the intense broodiness, and the acting skills to really bring Ryan into the 21st century. However, with Clooney not getting any younger, it would mean the movie(s) would have to be pitched somewhere in between the one starring Alec Baldwin and the two starring Harrison Ford.

Hogwarts students cheer Ron Weasley’s call to demand more money for their next contract.

ComingSoon says (via Fandango) that the ticket presales for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” are bigger than those of “Transfomers: Revenge of the Fallen.” The comparison is based on sales at the same point in both films’ preopening period, eight days before release.

“Harry continues to be ‘The Chosen One’, especially among movie fans,” says Rick Butler, Chief Operating Officer for Fandango. “‘The Half-Blood Prince’ is turning out to be one of our fastest-selling titles of the year, and has consistently been a top-seller ever since tickets went on sale on June 17.”

I’m not surprised at this–as I’m sure I’ve said many times before, this is one of the movies this summer where I’ve actually heard people say things like, “I can’t wait to see this…I already bought my ticket…I’m going twice in the first two days…” etc. The real question, though, is what it says about the film’s long-term prospects. Remember, “Transformers: ROTF” just became the top-grossing movie of the year, something I think many people expected. And certainly, the tickets aren’t going to stop now; the film will surely continue to earn money. But the summer’s not even close to over (good heavens, I’d be depressed if it was!)–will “Harry Potter” overtake it?

If this doesn’t cry out movie, what does? 

Hollywood’s fervent belief that they can only make movies based on pre-branded, recognizable material, preferably with a hint of nostalgia (studios seem convinced that audiences are desperate to relive their collective youth) has led to some, well, questionable sounding projects (for example, Univeral Pictures purchase of the rights to the dull, but addictive Asteroids video game). Now DreamWorks has found something that is either the nadir of this trend or a brilliant idea.

The Hollywood Reporter says that DreamWorks is planning a film based on the old View-Master toy. You may have seen View-Masters…um…at a garage sale? How to describe a View-Master? I would perhaps call it a slide projector that you hold up to your eyes to see a series of 3D slides (It’s the Grand Canyon! In 3D! It’s the Rocky Mountains! In 3D!).  

Brad Kaleb Kane of TV’s “Fringe” has been brought in to write the script. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci of “Transformers,” “Star Trek” and other such blockbusters are being asked to produce.

One one hand, this is incredibly stupid, because, well, it’s kind of a dumb toy. On the other, it could be brilliant because all you have to do is have some kids stumble upon an old View-Master, look inside, and have them tumble into some adventure. See, they could do that anyway, but I guess they think the money they’re paying Mattel for the View-Master brand name will translate into ticket sales (do people really say things like, “Hey…I had Legos when I was a kid…that makes me want to see a Lego movie!!” And yes, I do expect to hear about a Lego movie any second.).

Kane wouldn’t give details, but said, “It’ll be like the old ’80s Amblin movies: ‘Goonies,’ ‘Young Sherlock’ … in that vein.” I’m guessing “Jumanji” might be a better comparison.

Anyway, I can’t wait to hear who’s won the rights to that eagerly anticipated Lincoln Logs movie.

Harry ponders all the things he could do and say with a PG-13 rating.

Variety notes that “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” has been given a PG rating. The last two Harry Potter films were labeled PG-13.

Considering that the series started out aimed mostly at children, you might think that Warner Brothers would be ecstatic about getting a PG rating–the lower the rating, the more members of the family can come to the movie, and therefore more money. However, the films, like the books, have been dealing with more mature issues and themes as the series progresses; the first three films were given PG ratings, but the last two got PG-13 and did fantastically well at the box office.

Could the lower rating on the “Half-Blood Prince” make it seem uncool to teens who might be on the fence about the series? Obviously, hard core fans of all ages will come out no matter what. But some might feel insulted, or think that this is a signal that the movie has been watered down. Also, keep in mind how much time has passed since the release of a “Harry Potter” movie. WB delayed this one from last fall in order to cash in on bigger summer box office, but during that stretch of time, teens were able to get involved in other things, and the fervor to see this movie might have dimmed a bit.

To be honest, I think the movies going to take in buckets of money when it opens on July 15th; I don’t seriously think the lower rating will affect it that much. The above is just a bit of devil’s advocate playing. But if it does underperform even in the slightest, then there will be a lot of analysis about what did cause the drop, and the rating will be a factor that’s considered.

So who’s spin-off worthy? (No, not you, Edward and Bella–you’re out.) 

So are you already cringing at the thought of the end of the “Twilight” movies because they’re going to eventually run out of books? MTV’s Hollywood Crush reports that the producers of the films, Wyck Godfrey and Gregory Mooradian, don’t necessarily think it has to end with the “Breaking Dawn” movie. At the 36th Annual Vision Awards, they (sorry, the Hollywood Crush writer didn’t specify which producer said this, so apparently they spoke in tandem) said:

“Stay tuned. I think if our movies do as well as the first did all possibilities are out there. But right now we need to finish what we have and finish Stephenie’s vision as best we can and then let’s see where the audience demands us to go from there.”

Well, it’s not like there’s not a number of characters to choose from if the producers wanted to keep the franchise going. I haven’t read the books, so I can’t offer suitable candidates. The real question would be how much Stephenie Meyer would want to get involved. I’m not sure if it would mean another deal for her to sell the rights to one of her characters or if the present deal covers the film rights to all the “Twilight” characters. Presumably they would prefer a professional screenwriter to write the script, but Meyer could conceivably contribute an outline and get a story credit. Anyway, it certainly seems that if the remaining films do as well as “Twilight,” studio behind the films, Summit Entertainment will do anything it can to keep this train going.

A group of the cooler than cool Flying Tiger pilots next to one of their shark-painted planes.

/film passes on the report that John Woo is set to direct a movie about the fabled World War II pilots known as the Flying Tigers. The press conference in China said this would be the most expensive Chinese film to date, although funds will be coming from both China and the US (and considering the international nature of film production today, probably other nations as well). Chinese and Hollywood stars will fill out the cast.

Officially known as the American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers were originally a group of American volunteer pilots who provided air support for China against Japan during World War II during the days when before the US entered the war. The Flying Tigers, who got their nickname from the sharp-toothed sharks they painted on the noses of their planes, were essentially a group of private contractors working for the Chinese army under the leadership of Lt. General Claire Chennault, an American who had attached himself to the Chinese government. After the US declared war on Japan, the group was essentially absorbed into an army unit, although they still retained their own identity. If you are interested in a broader picture of the US in China during WW II, I highly recommend Barbara Tuchman’s “Stilwell in China.” It’s a fantastic read.

This won’t be the Flying Tigers first time on film–John Wayne starred in “Flying Tigers” in 1942, but that was pretty typical cheer up/propaganda. Woo’s film will be, one would think…hope…? a little deeper. Here’s Woo’s quote:

This is an extremely important production. Currently, basic preparations for shooting work have already been made and in a month we’ll confirm the script. This Yunnan-themed film emphasizes China-US friendship and the contributions of the Flying Tigers and the people of Yunnan during the War of Resistance.

(Yunnan is the province where the Tigers were based after they had to leave their original Burma location.)

Woo’s done World War II before, with the awful “Windtalkers.” Hopefully with this he’ll be free to do a film which is at least a little less dumbed-down this time. And let’s hope for some really well done air sequences that aren’t just CGI.

Yes, we can beat out those robots! 

First, the numbers (courtesy of Variety):

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen $42,500,000
2. Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs $42,500,000
3. Public Enemies $26,171,900
4. Proposal, The $12,779,000
5. Hangover, The $10,415,000

(Note: these figures are for the traditional three-day weekend.)

 Well, they say that a tie is like kissing your sister, but in this case, I don’t think the producers of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” or “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” are too unhappy. “Ice Age” broke international box office records for an animated film, and stole the stand-alone box office crown from the heavy hitting “Transformers” sequel (and in the five-day accounting, “Ice Age” full out beat “Transformers,” $67.5 million to $65 million); expectations had been that it would do well, but that it wouldn’t be able to keep up with the Michael Bay juggernaut. Meanwhile, the “Transformers” folk aren’t exactly crying in their loud, robot fighting, exploding soup–the film became the top-grossing film in the US for this year (with $293.5 million).

This year’s other new wide release, “Public Enemies,” also did well, with a solid $41 million for the five day period. Many had also suspected that it would get lost amongst the lighter summer fare, but it held its own. No idea how it will perform in the long term.

Comedies “The Proposal” and “The Hangover” continue to do well, based on positive word of mouth (especially in the latter case).

Everyone should have been happy with the results this week. Next week is likely to be a bit quiet, with the next big release coming the following week when “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” hits theaters. I’m curious about how that’s going to start and perform; I already know lots of people who are planning to attend midnight shows.

Will we ever see this again? I mean, we can see this picture anytime, but I mean a new pictures, with Brandon Routh in similar clothes/pose.

Routh’s high-profile debut as the Man of Steel in Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns” didn’t quite fail, but it didn’t lead to box office or critical ecstasy either. As a result, a follow-up movie has lingered on Warner Brothers’ backburner while it concentrated on Batman. Occasional half-hearted mumbles about a Superman sequel or even (the dreaded) reboot have risen to the surface, but the WB doesn’t seem to be in a hurry.

So does Routh know anything about this? Well, Think McFly Think posted  a translation of an interview Routh did with Omelete from the set of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The original translation from Portuguese to English is here. The translation was done by Google translator, so it is perhaps missing some nuances, but it’s also pretty funny sometimes. When Routh discusses his disappointment with WB for concentrating on the Batman movies, despite ”Batman Begins” lower box office than “Superman Returns,” the site has it translated as “Man-Bat.” (Note to Mr. Routh: ”Batman Begins” had much better reviews.) And his admission that “Superman” could have used more action comes out like this:

“I think missing some beating. You know, it is curious, but in the middle of the show I realized it - I just noticed that caught the whole movie and had no chance to retaliate.”

Don’t worry, Brandon, the critics provided some beating.

In the end, he says two important things (if they’re correctly translated): that while he says he’s sure Warner Brothers is getting going on a sequel, he knows nothing about it. He also said that he is not under contract to play Superman; I don’t know whether he was never under contract for a sequel, or if WB had an option and let it run out. This could mean that WB is actually  passing on a sequel and have signalled this by letting his contract run out, OR they are planning on a sequel, but are recasting and just quietly letting Routh go without any discussion. Either make for fun speculation.

August 2008 saw the first rumblings of a Doctor Who movie being on the way emerge. Steven Moffat, the man taking over the running of the television series from Russell T. Davies, suggested a movie version would be a great idea. In September, reports emerged suggesting David Tennant was keen on the idea.

Fast-forward to this year and a lot has happened in the Whoniverse. Most importantly, it was announced that David Tennant would be leaving the role to make way for Matt Smith, a younger (almost pre-pubescent) actor. Then May brought a slip-up at the BBC which revealed that “a script is in development” for a Doctor Who movie.

If that wasn’t an official enough confirmation of a forthcoming Doctor Who movie for some, then this may be. There is widespread speculation that the BBC is preparing to make an official announcement concerning the movie at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego. David Tennant, Russell T Davies, executive producer Julie Gardner, and director Euros Lyn will all attend the event on 26 July. Which can surely only mean one thing: Tennant is going to be playing the Doctor on the big-screen soon.

Adding to the weight of speculation is Tennant recently having declared he’d signed up for an unidentified “sci-fi project”. While Davies said of a new special project that it was, “news as and when, but I can promise it’s worth waiting for.” Surely this is enough to convince the remaining doubters.

The good news is that we only have a few weeks to wait. All eyes will now definitely be on Comic-Con 2009.

Swine flu has claimed its first victim from the world of acting: Rupert Grint, best known for portraying Harry Potter’s best friend Ron Weasley. Don’t worry, he hasn’t died from it or anything but it has been confirmed by his publicist that the actor was diagnosed with a “mild” bout of the virus.

BBC News claims Grint was forced to take a few days off from filming Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, the latest HP movie to be filmed in Hertfordshire, England. He was supposedly sent home after suffering from flu-like symptoms, and was diagnosed as suffering from swine flu a couple of days later.

As a precaution, other members of the cast and crew were tested for the virus but none were thought to be infected. The shooting of several scenes was rescheduled in light of Grint’s illness but the actor will be attending the London premiere of Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince on Tuesday evening after being given the all-clear. He will then return to the set to continue filming the next film in the series.

With only a relatively small 7,500 people officially diagnosed with the illness in the UK (of a population of 62 million) Grint is one of the unlucky ones to have succumbed so far. However, he luckily only suffered a mild dose of the H1N1 virus and suffered no long-term effects. Which will please the millions of Harry Potter fans out there who regard Grint as a hero.