Sam Taylor-Johnson To Direct Fifty Shades of Grey
by MIKE FLEMING JR
Wednesday June 19, 2013


Sam Taylor-Johnson, whose directorial debut was 2009′s Nowhere Boy about the early life of John Lennon, has been secured to direct Fifty Shades of Grey, the sizzling novel adaptation from Universal Pictures and Focus Features.

Fellow Brit Kelly Marcel has written the script for the movie, based on EL James’ bestseller that follows the relationship between 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele.

Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca are producing alongside James.





“Sam’s unique ability to gracefully showcase complex relationships dealing with love, emotion and sexual chemistry make her the ideal director to bring Christian and Anastasia’s relationship to life,” said De Luca.

“EL James’ characters and vivid storytelling require a director who is willing to take risks and push the envelope where needed, and Sam is a natural fit.”





In addition to Nowhere Boy, which garnered her a pair of BAFTA nominations and an eventual husband in that film’s star Aaron Taylor-Johnson (of Kick-Ass fame), she had only directed the short film Love You More which was in Cannes in 2008.

She also has ties to De Luca — the pair are in development on a film based on the Robert Goorlick novel A Reliable Wife which De Luca is also producing.

Before landing the Nowhere Boy gig, Taylor-Johnson was a well-known photographer and visual artist whose work captured and explored issues of human sexuality.





Universal and Focus acquired rights to James’ trilogy in March 2012 after a heated bidding auction for film rights. Focus will market and distribute the film in partnership with Universal, whose co-chairman Donna Langley heavily pursued the book.

The three books have been translated into 45 languages worldwide since its release and has sold over 70 million copies in e-book and print. During the bidding, I’d heard that 10 studio chiefs were involved in one of the wildest book-to-movie auctions in recent and distant memory.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/50-shades-of-grey-director-sam-taylor-johnson/

Fifty Shades of Grey Gets August 1, 2014 Release Date
by MIKE FLEMING JR
Thursday June 27, 2013



NEW YORK, June 27th, 2013:

The global release of Fifty Shades of Grey will start in North America on Friday, August 1st, 2014 with opening dates around the world to be announced. The Focus Features domestic theatrical release will be in theaters nationwide. Universal Pictures International is releasing the movie in the rest of the world.

Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing the highly anticipated film adaptation of E L James’ #1 bestselling book. Fifty Shades of Grey has been adapted into a screenplay by Kelly Marcel. Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing the movie version alongside Ms. James.



Universal Pictures and Focus Features acquired the rights to the three books in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy in March 2012. Focus Features will market and distribute the first film in partnership with Universal.

Fifty Shades of Grey has become a global phenomenon and the trilogy has been translated in over 50 languages worldwide since its release. To date, the Fifty Shades trilogy has sold over 70 million copies worldwide in e-book and print, making it one of the fastest-selling book series ever.



Fifty Shades of Grey (first published in 2011) follows the relationship of 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele.

Subsequent novels in the series, Fifty Shades Darker (2011) and Fifty Shades Freed (2012) explore the couple’s deepening relationship.

For more information please see the official Fifty Shades of Grey Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fiftyshadesofgreymovie.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/fifty-shades-of-grey-release-date-august-1-2014/

Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson Cast in Fifty Shades Of Grey
by MIKE FLEMING JR
Monday September 2, 2013


"Sons of Anarchy" star Charlie Hunnam has officially been set to play Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey, the Universal Pictures and Focus Features adaptation of the runaway bestselling book series.

Hunnam, who had been rumored for weeks, more recently starred in the Guillermo Del Toro-directed Pacific Rim. Author EL James made the casting official on her Twitter page.





The coveted role of Anastasia Steele has gone to Dakota Johnson, daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.

Steele is a young college graduate who has a sexual awakening with Christian Grey, a young industrialist who takes her virginity. She falls in love with him, but his insistence she take the role of submissive and open herself to his S&M fantasies leaves her emotionally torn because otherwise he is the perfect guy.



Dakota Johnson has appeared in The Social Network, Need for Speed, 21 Jump Street, and The Five-Year Engagement.

She also starred in Fox short-lived comedy "Ben and Kate" which aired during the 2012-13 season.





The film will be released by Focus Features on August 1, 2014 in North America.

It is being directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside author E L James, whose erotic novel trilogy has sold over 70 million books worldwide.









Universal's Official Press Release:


Charlie Hunnam will star as Christian Grey, the lead male character in Universal Pictures and Focus Features’ highly anticipated film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey, it was announced today.

He joins Dakota Johnson, who will star opposite him as Anastasia Steele.





The film, which will be released by Focus Features on August 1, 2014 in North America, is being directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E L James, the author of the #1 bestselling book on which the film is based. The screenplay is by Kelly Marcel.

The announcement about Mr. Hunnam’s casting in Fifty Shades of Grey was made today by Ms. James.

Mr. Hunnam currently stars as a regular on the critically acclaimed FX series "Sons of Anarchy". His feature film credits include Pacific Rim, Children of Men, Cold Mountain, and Nicholas Nickleby.





Fifty Shades of Grey has become a global phenomenon and the trilogy has been translated in 50 languages worldwide since its release. To date, the trilogy has sold over 70 million copies worldwide in e-book and print, making it one of the fastest-selling book series ever.

Universal and Focus acquired the rights to the three books in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy in March 2012. Focus Features will market and distribute the first film in partnership with Universal.

Fifty Shades of Grey follows the relationship of 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele. Subsequent novels in the series, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, explore the couple’s deepening relationship.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/09/charlie-hunnam-gets-christian-grey-role-in-fifty-shades-of-grey/

I read the subject line too fast and thought it said Dakota FANNING was cast!! Now THAT would be disturbing!!!! :eek: :lol:

Jennifer Ehle Joins Fifty Shades of Grey as Anastasia Steele’s Mother
by MIKE FLEMING JR
Monday October 7, 2013


Universal Pictures and Focus Features has cast Jennifer Ehle as Carla in Fifty Shades of Grey. Carla is the mother of Anastasia Steele, she’s a strong Southern woman on her fourth marriage.

Dakota Johnson plays Anastasia and Charlie Hunnam plays Christian Grey in the Sam Taylor-Johnson directed adaptation of the EL James novel trilogy that is being produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti.

Ehle recently wrapped the Jose Padilha-directed Robocop and the Alan Rickman-directed A Little Chaos. She was last seen most memorably in the Kathryn Bigelow-directed Zero Dark Thirty.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/10/jennifer-ehle-joining-fifty-shades-of-grey-as-anastasia-steeles-mother/

Charlie Hunnam Drops Out of Fifty Shades of Grey Movie
10/12/13
by Borys Kit, Matthew Belloni


Charlie Hunnam is exiting Fifty Shades of Grey.

“The filmmakers of Fifty Shades of Grey and Charlie Hunnam have agreed to find another male lead given Hunnam’s immersive TV schedule which is not allowing him time to adequately prepare for the role of Christian Grey," Universal Pictures said in a statement.



The "Sons of Anarchy" actor was set to star as Christian Grey alongside Dakota Johnson in the adaptation of E L James bestselling book. Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy) is directing the film.

"Sons of Anarchy's" production was to end Oct. 21. The production on Fifty Shades was set to start in Vancouver first in November.







Two sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Hunnam, 33, was overwhelmed with the attention he received from being cast in the movie and got cold feet about carrying such a high-profile project. Universal was forced to hire bodyguards for the actor at a recent "Sons of Anarchy" premiere, where questions about Fifty Shades dominated the red carpet.

The sources caution that Hunnam had no reservation about the role of Christian Grey, just the media and fan frenzy that came along with it, especially as he was transitioning from "Sons" to "Fifty Shades" so quickly.



Hunnam's exit leaves Universal and producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti in a very tough position. The studio has set an Aug 1, 2014 release date for the film, and any delays in the production schedule could imperil that release date.

Fifty Shades author S.L. James tweeted, "I wish Charlie all the best."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fifty-shades-grey-charlie-hunnam-648066

Charlie Hunnam Breaks Silence After Fifty Shades of Grey Exit
Oct 22, 2013
by Sadie Gennis


Charlie Hunnam has finally broken silence about his shocking departure from the Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation. The "Sons of Anarchy" star told E! News that he's "doing good" since stepping down from playing Christian Grey.

"I am just really concentrating on work. It's been a really busy time," Hunnam said.





The actor revealed that he lost his father, Billy, in May and wants to focus on his family right now.

"I have had some family stuff going on so just trying to stay focused and stay positive and keep trying to do a good job at work and be with my family and stay positive," he said.





After wrapping "Sons'" sixth season, Hunnam plans to return to England before reuniting with his Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro for another movie and filming the FX drama's final season.

"It's obviously going to be a really emotional time for us," Hunnam said of saying goodbye to "Sons" his co-stars.

"We are like a family and have become very, very close and become dear friends to each other so it's going to be sad and finish up and say goodbye to everyone, but we've got like 13, maybe even a few more, episodes. There's rumor that we might do a couple of more episodes and do a little bit of an extended season next year, so we will see if that happens. It may or it may not. But I just want to finish that strong and go on to a new chapter of life," Hunnam added.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Charlie-Hunnam-Fifty-Shades-Grey-Exit-1072366.aspx

"Once Upon a Time" Alum Cast as New Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey
Oct 23, 2013
by Kate Stanhope


Jamie Dornan, who played the huntsman Sheriff Graham on "Once Upon a Time", has been cast as Christian Grey in the upcoming film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Dornan, 31, replaces "Sons of Anarchy's" Charlie Hunnam, who dropped out of the project more than a week ago.

"Ben and Kate's" Dakota Johnson will portray Christian's younger love interest, Anastasia Steele.



Dornan tested Friday opposite Johnson, as did Tony-nominated actor Billy Magnussen, according to THR. The race to fill Hunnam's shoes began immediately after he dropped out, since Fifty Shades of Grey is slated to begin production on Nov. 1.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters on Aug. 1, 2014.



It remains unclear how Fifty Shades fans will react to Dornan's casting. After the two main roles were first filled in early September, an online petition was started to have them replaced with Matt Bomer and Alexis Bledel.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Jamie-Dornan-Fifty-Shades-Grey-1072430.aspx

Another Grey Casting in Fifty Shades
by MIKE FLEMING JR
October 25, 2013


Luke Grimes will play Christian Grey’s adopted brother Elliot in Fifty Shades Of Grey. This comes after Jamie Dornan was set in the male lead role alongside Dakota Johnson.

He currently plays Wes on "True Blood".

http://www.deadline.com/2013/10/another-grey-casting-in-fifty-shades/

Fifty Shades of Grey Finds Its Jose: Victor Rasuk Plays Christian Grey Romance Rival
by MIKE FLEMING JR
October 31, 2013


They’ve cast one of the final major roles in Fifty Shades of Grey, the Universal Pictures and Focus Features adaptation of EL James’ global bestseller that stars Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey.

Victor Rasuk has been set to play Jose, the aspiring photographer and classmate of Anastasia, whose close friendship with the young girl — he’d like it to be more — pits him as rival for her affections with Grey, the wealthy businessman whose warped past leaves him with a need to dominate his partners and unable to accept Anastasia on equal terms (yes, I read the damn book).



Rasuk made his breakthrough playing skateboard pioneer Tony Alva in The Lords of Dogtown, and he starred in HBO’s "How to Make It In America", as well as Raising Victor Vargas and the Steven Soderbergh-directed Che.

He’ll next be seen in Godzilla.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/10/fifty-shades-of-grey-finds-its-jose-victor-rasuk-plays-christian-grey-romance-rival/

Latest Fifty Shades Casting: Eloise Mumford as Kate
by THE DEADLINE TEAM
November 22, 2013


Eloise Mumford will play Kate Kavanagh, Anastasia Steele’s best friend and roommate, in Universal and Focus Features’ Fifty Shades of Grey.

The deal, which our sister pub Variety sniffed out first, was finalized last night and should mark the last major casting in EL James’ uber-popular erotic novel adaptation that James, Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing, and Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing.

Kelly Marcel wrote the initial draft of the screenplay with later work from Patrick Marber and Mark Bomback.



Mumford stars in Universal’s upcoming Not Safe For Work and on the TV side co-starred on short-lived series like Fox’s "Lone Star" and ABC’s "The River", and is in ABC’s midseason series "Reckless".

Universal and Focus recently shifted the pic’s release date from August 1, 2014 to February 13, 2015 — situating it nicely for Valentine’s Day and a four-day holiday weekend thanks where Presidents Day falls that year.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/11/fifty-shades-of-grey-movie-casting-eloise-mumford/

Max Martini Joins Fifty Shades of Grey
by MIKE FLEMING JR
November 26, 2013


Max Martini has joined the cast of Universal Pictures and Focus Features adaptation of EL James’ best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey. He would play the role of Jason Taylor, Christian Grey’s bodyguard and head of his security team.

Martini recently appeared in Pacific Rim for Warner Bros. and Captain Phillips for Sony. He is currently awaiting release on Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger which will be released in North America by Open Road Films.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/11/max-martini-joins-fifty-shades-of-grey/

Singer Rita Ora Joins Fifty Shades of Grey as Billionaire’s Kid Sister Mia
by THE DEADLINE TEAM
December 2, 2013


The British singer-songwriter who had a cameo in Fast & Furious 6 has been cast in another movie you might have heard about. Rita Ora will play Mia, the outgoing adopted sister of billionaire Christian Grey, in Universal‘s adaptation of EL James’ mega-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey.

The Albania-born Ora has topped the British album and singles charts but hasn’t broken through in the U.S. This ought to help.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/fifty-shades-of-grey-rita-ora-mia/

Marcia Gay Harden To Play Christian Grey’s Mother in Fifty Shades of Grey
by Justin Kroll
12/3/13


Marcia Gay Harden has joined the cast of Universal and Focus’ Fifty Shades of Grey as Christian Grey’s adoptive mother.

Harden was most recently seen on HBO’s “The Newsroom” and Open Road’s Parkland.

Fifty Shades is currently shooting in Vancouver.

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/marcia-harden-christian-grey-fifty-shades-of-grey-1200914744/

Fifty Shades of Grey Taps Dylan Neal as Anastasia Steele’s Stepfather
by THE DEADLINE TEAM
December 4, 2013


Dylan Neal is the latest actor to join the cast of Universal Pictures and Focus Features’ Fifty Shades of Grey. He’ll play Bob, Anastasia Steele’s (Dakota Johnson) stepfather and husband of Carla Adams (Jennifer Ehle).

He begins shooting this week in Vancouver.

Neal currently stars in Hallmark Channel’s "Cedar Cove" opposite Andie MacDowell. He is also shooting the second season of The CW’s "Arrow", in the recurring role of the villainous Dr. Anthony Ivo.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/fifty-shades-of-grey-taps-dylan-neal-as-anastasia-steeles-stepfather/

Fifty Shades of Grey Adds Callum Keith Rennie
by JEN YAMATO
December 9, 2013


Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) has been cast in the adaptation of EL James’ bestselling erotic novel as Ray Steele, Anastasia’s stepfather.

Rennie recently finished filming Weinstein acquisition The Young and Prodigious TS Spivet with Helena Bonham Carter and indie feature Ride with Helen Hunt.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/fifty-shades-of-grey-callum-keith-rennie/

http://www-deadline-com.vimg.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/image001__140125020954.jpg

In Cinemas Valentine's 2015


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Fifty Shades of Grey Trailer Scores Historic 100M Views in First Week
by JEN YAMATO
August 1, 2014


In the week since Universal and Focus Features premiered the trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey, the 2 1/2-minute promo has become the biggest online trailer launch in history, the studio said.

The steamy adaptation of E L James‘ 2011 erotic bestseller tracks the love affair between a naive young woman and a dashing entrepreneur who was damaged as a youth and rejects intimacy.

Sam Taylor-Johnson directs and Dakota Johnson stars as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey.





After strategically building up the July 24 trailer debut with teases on NBC’s "Today" and in Beyonce’s Instagram feed, Universal scored more than 100 million views across all platforms in a week. That is about the number of books sold globally.

Some of that staggering online success is more easily quantifiable than others, given the nearly 33 million YouTube views logged in a week from Universal’s two official uploads alone.

“Fifty Shades Of Grey trailers are pulling monumental views” from two separate uploads this week, said RelishMix CEO Marc Karzen. “Add to that ripped and reposted versions on movie fan channels. It’s unprecedented for a film that’s six months out.”





Here’s a sampling of Fifty Shades‘ tear across social media in its first week:

The 15-second teaser premiered unannounced to Beyonce’s 14 million Instagram fans on Saturday, July 19, notching 443,000 likes and over 85,000 comments in an unusual stroke of pop marketing synergy.

The tease of a teaser featuring a breathy snippet of Beyonce’s Crazy In Love also aired in TV and digital spots for the next three days, and ran in a 30-second radio spot in 16 markets.





All that marketing foreplay led to the morning of July 24, when the full trailer dropped at 8:15 AM ET and became the most-watched trailer on YouTube that day in a surge of buzz that Ben Carlson of social network tracker Fizziology calls “simply unprecedented.”

The trailer garnered 98,000 mentions per hour on Twitter and was the No. 1 Google-trending topic in the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, and Germany.





An additional 13 million uploads were viewed on additional platforms including Yahoo, IMDb, and Apple in addition to over 900,000 trailer views via unofficial YouTube uploads, according to Universal.

It had over 40 million additional views on Facebook across the studio’s domestic and international channels as well as Beyonce’s Facebook page, where the trailer alone racked up 446,000 likes and 222,000 shares.



Fifty Shades of Grey hits theaters February 13.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/08/fifty-shades-of-grey-trailer-100m-social-media/

Fifty Shades of Grey: Don Johnson is "Very Upset" about Daughter's First Big Role
8/29/14
by Gary Baum


Officially, Don Johnson is totally cool with daughter Dakota playing nubile S&M initiate Anastasia Steele in the upcoming erotic thriller Fifty Shades of Grey.

"This is the family business," he told Good Morning Britain in June. "I am absolutely certain that Dakota will take a piece of material and a character, which a lot of people might imagine could be inappropriate in some ways, and turn it into something spectacular."



Ex-wife Melanie Griffith subsequently said that neither parent would be seeing the film but only because their daughter thought it would be awkward for them.



Still, Tippi Hedren, Griffith's mother and Dakota's grandmother, tells THR for its upcoming Off the Cuff podcast: "I understand Don Johnson is very upset about her being in the film. He kind of had the same feeling that I did."

So will she be watching? "I've seen the trailer. That's all I have to watch."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fifty-shades-grey-don-johnson-728896

Ex-wife Melanie Griffith subsequently said that neither parent would be seeing the film but only because their daughter thought it would be awkward for them.


Uh yeah.

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Uh yeah.

lol, I laughed at what Griffith supposedly said...

Anyway, you couldn't pay me to watch this hetero horribleness...

This is from a kinkster on another messageboard who works in the film industry. I can't say who he is but I can share what he wrote.

"I currently am a pro-filmmaker and screenwriter living in NYC and LA. I've also been active in the BDSM community for a long time. Being involved in the film industry, I had the opportunity to watch a cut of Fifty Shades of Grey.

The first thing that hit me was that it was written by someone who is, by her own admission, not involved in the BDSM community. She hasn't participated in play so she has uncreative fantasies and misguided ideas about BDSM psychology and dynamics.

My fear is that Fifty Shades sends the wrong message about the world of BDSM. It is trivial, bland vapid Hollywood at its worst and is not an accurate representation of our lifestyle."

I hope this effin movie bombs big time, why all the hype over books that deal with bondage as if its something new all of a sudden?

I hope this effin movie bombs big time, why all the hype over books that deal with bondage as if its something new all of a sudden?

Because it is, arguably, the first to introduce it to a mainstream audience.

If one was really into it, they would have been long ago...