Fans secure film deal for Grint

The film's tagline is "Two guys. One girl. Game on"

Fans of Harry Potter star Rupert Grint have been credited with securing the release of his new film, Cherrybomb, after setting up an online petition.

The coming-of-age drama premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, but failed to find a distributor.

Fans set up an online petition for its release, and lobbied the industry in an attempt to drum up interest.

Producers now say a distribution deal has been signed, and the Belfast-set movie should be released in 2010.

Grint, 21, previously said was delighted by the fan campaign, which was dreamt up by a website called Ice Cream Man.

"I am backing this campaign wholeheartedly," he said.

"I'm delighted by the huge support the film has already received on the official Facebook page and other sites on the web and am so grateful to my fans in particular, who have travelled the world to support the film at festivals and preview screenings."

Tabloid interest

Film producer Simon Bosanquet, from Britain's Generator Entertainment, also paid tribute to Grint's fans.

"With a lot of independent films, it is hard to get them noticed," he told the BBC News website.

"Rupert Grint has a very dedicated fanbase and it was very much down to them that this started."

Grint has been playing Ron Weasley since he was 12 years old

Cherrybomb also stars James Nesbitt and Kimberley Nixon - who appeared in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

It tells the story of two teenage friends who battle for the affections of a femme fatale in post-troubles Northern Ireland.

"I really loved the script," Grint told German TV after the film's screening in Berlin in February.

"The whole relationship triangle - it was a really interesting story."

Much attention has been paid to the fact that Grint, famous for playing the flame-haired goofball Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series, stars in a film that features bedroom scenes and drug taking.

"The film is a lot more than that," Bosanquet told the BBC News website. "I suppose the interest of certain tabloids tends to be focused on areas where they can see Rupert playing characters unlike the ones he has played before."

Bosanquet said the film's release date would be decided by the new-found distributors, but it was likely to be in cinemas during the first half of 2010.

The film's sales agent, The Little Film Company, is also in negotiation with an American distributor.