Everything about the Fifty Shades of Grey movie confuses me. It’s an adaptation of a racy romance novel that began as “Twilight” fan fiction and it’s not set up at a porn outlet or even a major studio. No, this thing is set up at Focus Features of all places and has now landed Nowhere Boy director Sam Taylor-Johnson, which will have many looking to her husband Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass) as a likely candidate for the role of 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey, though The Wrap‘s Jeff Sneider says he is not expected to pursue the role.
Taylor-Johnson beat out directors such as Gus Van Sant and Joe Wright to helm the feature while Darren Aronofsky reportedly passed. The screenplay was written by Kelly Marcel. Here’s the plot breakdown:
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.
Felicity Jones is said to be the strongest contender to play Anastasia Steele at this point according to The Wrap.
There’s no release date as of yet, but with a director in place I expect things will speed up rather quickly and a later 2014 release may still be in the cards. I’m just wondering how all of this will turn out. Will Fifty Shades be something to take seriously or scoff at?
