Universal Pictures and Focus Features today announced that the companies will partner in the development of a film based on E. L. James #1 best-seller, Fifty Shades of Grey, published by Vintage Books. Focus Features will market and distribute the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey in partnership with Universal Pictures. Universal acquired the rights to the entire Fifty Shades Trilogy. The announcement was made today by Universal Pictures’ Chairman Adam Fogelson and Co-Chairman Donna Langley.
“The ‘Fifty Shades’ Trilogy is a one-of-a-kind series of stories and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with E. L. James to bring them to the big screen, said Fogelson and Langley. “Like so many readers all over the globe, we’ve fallen in love with ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’ Its a special story and working with Focus, we hope to bring audiences a film they can enjoy as much as they loved the book.”
Added James Schamus, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Features, “At its core, this is a romance of the most emotionally resonant, but delicate, order and we look forward to working with our colleagues at Universal to transform E. L. James’ vision into a great film.”
“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” (September 2011) and “Fifty Shades Freed” (January 2012) explore the couple’s deepening relationship.
