‘Pacific Rim’s Charlie Hunnam, ‘Social Network’s Dakota Johnson & Model Cara Delevingne Eyed for ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

The number of names rumored to star in Focus Features’ adaptation of E.L. JamesFifty Shades of Grey is endless. Until now we’ve seen the likes of Alex Pettyfer, Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, Emma Watson, Elizabeth Olsen, Stephen Amell, Alicia Vikander and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, though the latter rumor largely surfaced because his wife and Nowhere Boy director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, is set to direct the film. Now, a few more names have been added to the pile.

First is Charlie Hunnam (pictured above), who’s either best known as a robot jock from Guillermo del Toro‘s Pacific Rim or as one of the stars of “Sons of Anarchy“, either way, Twitch reports he’s emerged as the “producers’ prime target” to play the lead male role of Christian Grey, a wealthy young entrepreneur and the object of desire for the story’s lead character, 21-year-old college senior Anastasia “Ana” Steele.

This brings us to a couple of new ladies added to the casting mix for Steele. First is Dakota Johnson who gained a lot of attention for her scene in David Fincher‘s The Social Network as “the girl in the hotpants” during the scene introducing Justin Timberlake‘s character. I’ve included the clip to the right in case you need your memory jogged and, yes, she is the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.

TheWrap is specific to note, however, nothing is confirmed with Johnson, she is just “one of the up-and-coming starlets currently being considered to play Steele”. So while we’re at it, why not add one more?

Over at The Sun they report model Cara Delevingne, a close friend of Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s, has reportedly auditioned for the Steele role with a source quoted saying, “Cara is a front-runner for a part. She’s desperate to get the gig and has always said that she wanted to be taken seriously as an actress.”

Of course, if you’ve read this far you know Cara isn’t as much a front-runner as much as she’s just another name under consideration. However, with the film set to hit theaters on August 1, 2014 I have to assume we’re going to be hearing some official casting news soon.

I haven’t read the book and have no real desire to, but I have to ask, for those that have, any of these names stand out as actors you’d want for their respective roles?

Here’s the book’s synopsis for a refresher:

Based on the book by E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey centers on literature student Anastasia Steele, who goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey and encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too — but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success — his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family — Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

Movie News

Marvel and DC

X