Pacific Rim was billed as the break-out role for actor Charlie Hunnam. And while it posted numbers on the boards at the box office, it failed to propel his star power. His latest job, though, aims to change all of that.
This marks another step in the right direction for the Sons of Anarchy badass, who most recently led the summer sci-fi sleeper success story. Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson announced the casting of Hunnam and Dakota Johnson (daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith), as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, respectively on Twitter. British author EL James also took to the social media site to reveal the news, tweeting, “I am delighted to let you know that the lovely Dakota Johnson has agreed to be our Anastasia in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.” A few minutes later, the novelist added: “The gorgeous and talented Charlie Hunnam will be Christian Grey in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.”
Johnson, best known in smaller roles in The Social Network and 21 Jump Street, exclaimed her excitement to play the virgin love interest to Christian Grey.
Speculation over the identity of the main cast members for Taylor-Johnson’s knee-trembler of a film has been at peak intensity since March 2012, when the project was first announced.
Fifty Shades of Grey centers on kinky billionaire business magnate Christian Grey and his recruitment of a young virgin, Anastasia Steele, to be his well-remunerated sex slave. The film is expected to be the first of a trilogy based on James’ triptych of novels, which has surpassed Twilight as a source of intimate popularity.
Universal Pictures and Focus Features acquired the rights to the three books. The latter will market and distribute the first film in partnership with Universal. Weak-in-the-knee movie fans can expect Fifty Shades of Grey to splash across the big screens sometime in 2014.
Props: SlashFilm