FIFTY SHADES OF GREY CASTS NEAR-UNKNOWNS, FANS GETS WHIPPED INTO A FRENZY

[Wang Chung]

Hollywood is very prone to casting guessing games during which both fans and journalists start and propagate all sorts of crazy rumors, often based on nothing more than what is called "fan casting." This week, one of the latest such casting rumor games came to an end (the other outstanding such mystery is the casting of various roles in Star Wars Episode VII). We're talking, of course, about the fetishist novel adaptation Fifty Shades of Grey, which itself started off as a Twilight fan fiction by E.L. James called Master of the Universe. On Monday, it all ended when E.L. James sent out some tweets that were quickly confirmed by official press releases from Universal Pictures about the casting of Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Charlie Hunnam as 27 year old billionaire Christian Grey. Dakota Johnson is the daughter of Don Johnson (Miami Vice) and Melanie Griffith (Crazy in Alabama) and she herself has starred in the short-lived FOX TV series Ben and Kate. Charlie Hunnam is the English star of the critically acclaimed FX TV series Sons of Anarchy, and he was also the lead in Pacific Rim. After Fifty Shades of Grey fans started posting complaints on sites like Twitter and Facebook, producer Dana Brunetti had this response: "There is a lot that goes into casting that isn't just looks. Talent, availability, their desire to do it, chemistry with other actor, etc... So if your favorite wasn't cast, then it is most likely due to something on that list. Keep that in mind while hating and keep perspective." Melanie Griffith had this to say, also on Twitter, "My beautiful child Dakota has been chosen to play Anna Steele in 50 Shades!!! Look out world! Here she comes!!!" Alrighty then. Anyway, Fifty Shades of Grey starts filming in Vancouver on November 5th, 2013. Focus Features has set a release date of August 1, 2014, which puts this movie right up against the Marvel adaptation Guardians of the Galaxy. That's going to be a really awkward line at the ticket counter.

I don't give a shit who is in the film as long as it is decent and the actors are directed properly and can do the job for what they were hired to do.

 

[Castiel]

Charlie Hunnam is and always will be the man but man, this is weird. When I first saw him on Undeclared he played the charming, clean cut, ladies man so it was strange seeing him years later as a total badass in Sons Of Anarchy, and now he's going back to the ladies man I guess? At least this will likely boost his Hollywood stock though.

 

[Postman Dave]

I like how CHarlie Hunnum is a "near unknown". Apparently the lead in a successful TV series and another in a Hollywood blockbuster is not enough for some people.

 

[Castiel]

For real though, wasn't Pacific Rim huge? The weirdest part is seeing those girls on Facebook complaining that he isn't Iam Somerhalder... I always figured Hunnam was considered an attractive enough looking dude?

 

[Postman Dave]

welp, scratch Hunnam off the cast list.

UPDATE: According to http://hollywoodlife.com, there is more to Hunnam pulling out of the film. A source had the following to say about the situation…

"Charlie got cold feet. He wanted to get out of the movie because he was feeling like it would be his version of Showgirls and he didn't want to be remembered for that.

Nor is Charlie ready for the celebrity he would receive if the movie worked out.

Add that with the studio execs being highly disappointed by the reaction to the casting, they wanted to start over with a clean slate."



ORIGINAL: Coming Soon reports that Charlie Hunnam has dropped out of his role in Universal Pictures and Focus Features' adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.

The studio said in a statement: "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."

He was set to star with Dakota Johnson and Jennifer Ehle in the film, which has an August 1, 2014 release date. The film will be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson from a script by Kelly Marcel (based on E.L. James bestselling book). Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing with James.

Universal and Focus acquired the rights to the trilogy in March of last year. Focus will market and distribute the first film with Universal. The book trilogy has been translated in over fifty languages worldwide and has sole over seventy million copies in e-book and print worldwide, one of the fastest-selling book series ever.

The first book was published in 2011 and follows the relationship of 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele. The other two book are called Fifty Shades Darker (2011) and Fifty Shades Freed (2012).

411mania

 

[Castiel]

Can't say I'm disappointed, honestly. Not too surprised either, the casting got major heat from fans. It's going to interesting to see who gets the role next simply for the reaction, the women looking forward to this seem to be like ravenous wolves.