Set to be released in theaters and loins less than a year from now, the big screen adaptation of SnowQueen IceDragon’s smash hit Fifty Shades of Grey still doesn’t have stars. While rumors have had everyone from our beloved Channing Tatum to his Magic Mike co-star Alex Pettyfer filling the role of Christian Grey, nothing has materialized to this point.
But now a report from TwitchFilm claims that Sons of Anarchy and Pacific Rim star Charlie Hunnam might be Universal’s and Focus Features’ top choice to play the billionaire bondage enthusiast, who first came alive on the pages of a Twilight fan fiction message board. However, as Variety clarified yesterday, nobody’s whipping a damn thing yet.
Twitchfilm reported on Tuesday that Hunnam was the studios’ prime target and, while sources tell Variety he is on a list of possible contenders, the casting process is still ongoing and it may still be a while before a decision is made.
Universal and Focus are on a global search for the titular character, looking in the States, England and Australia, and say they are prepared to take their time finding the right actor for the part. Although the film is set to bow in August, the shoot is not expected to be a long one and there is still time before a decision needs to be made.
And while all we really know at this point is that the director is Sam Taylor-Johnson, who last directed Nowhere Boy, it seems that a lot of people (here, here, here, here and here, for starters) are also overly confident that Anastasia Steele is going to be played by Don Johnson’s daughter, Dakota, and not by Emma Watson, as I had been praying for every night.
This is all really bad news for my CGI version, 50,000 Shades of Grey Under The Sea.
