CHARLIE HUNNAM CAST AS CHRISTIAN GREY IN UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND FOCUS FEATURES’ FILM ADAPTATION OF “FIFTY SHADES OF GREY”

 Charlie Hunnamwill star as Christian Grey, the lead male character in Universal Pictures andFocus Features’ highly anticipated film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey,”it was announced today.  He joinsDakota Johnson, who will star opposite him as Anastasia Steele.  The film, which will be released byFocus Features on August 1, 2014 in North America, is being directed by SamTaylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E LJames, the author of the #1 bestselling book on which the film is based.  The screenplay is by Kelly Marcel.  The announcement about Mr. Hunnam’s castingin Fifty Shades of Grey was madetoday by Ms. James.  Mr. Hunnam currently stars as a regular on the criticallyacclaimed FX series Sons of Anarchy.  His feature film credits include Pacific Rim, Children of Men, ColdMountain, andNicholas Nickleby. “Fifty Shades of Grey” has become a global phenomenon andthe trilogy has been translated in 50 languages worldwide since itsrelease.  To date, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy has sold over 70 millioncopies worldwide in e-book and print, making it one of the fastest-selling bookseries ever. Universal and Focus acquired the rights to the threebooks in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy in March 2012.  Focus Featureswill market and distribute the first film in partnership with Universal.
“Fifty Shades of Grey” follows the relationship of27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student AnastasiaSteele.  Subsequent novels in the series, “Fifty Shades Darker” and “FiftyShades Freed,” explore the couple’s deepening relationship.  For moreinformation please see the official Fifty Shades of Grey Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/fiftyshadesofgreymovie.