Fifty Shades of Grey Movie Cast, Release Date & News: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson Prepare for New 50 Shades 2015 Valentine's Day Debut [PIC]
As Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson prepare for their lead roles in the Fifty Shades of Grey film adaptation, the studio is preparing for a new release date: Valentine's Day weekend of 2015.
The film adaptation of E.L. James' erotic novel was originally supposed to be released Aug. 1, 2014. The release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and the World Cup in Brazil, however, were too daunting of competitors, and now the film will not be released until Feb. 13, 2015.
"Together with the international marketing and distribution team, we've been looking really closely at the August date and becoming more and more convinced that the right thing to do for the movie was to push it," Donna Langley, Universal Pictures chairwoman, told Entertainment Weekly.
Before Dornan was cast as kinky businessman Christian Grey, Charlie Hunnam was to play the role. Hunnam abruptly quit on Oct. 12, however, and casting directors had to scramble to find a new male lead. Soon it was announced that filming for Fifty shades of Grey was pushed back from Nov. 13 to Dec. 2.
Langley says Hunnam's departure had nothing to do with the new release date.
"...even if Charlie had stayed, we still would have been making the date change," she said.
Dornan, a former "Once Upon a Time" star, was excited about the opportunity to take over for Hunnam.
"I was sort of pretending I wasn't waiting, but the phone was in my hand, halfway to my ear," Dornan said. "There was a slight fear, but beyond anything else, I was really fucking excited."
Meanwhile, Johnson, who will play Anastasia Steele, the naïve victim of Christian's seduction, is preparing for what we can only assume will be very revealing sex scenes.
"Obviously I want to look good naked," the new brunette said. "I totally understand now why people exercise because it kind of fucking feels awesome."
Dornan is also getting comfortable with his S&M-filled role.
"I grew up in a very liberal place," he said, "I'm not saying we had a playroom, but I'm not shocked by [the sex in the book]. It's essential to tell the story. I can't believe films that don't invoke the sexual side of it. So it works for me."
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