'Fifty Shades of Grey' gets an "Unusual" R Rating by the MPAA

There are a couple of funny things about the news that Fifty Shades of Grey, based on the hit mom-sanctioned sex novel by E.L. James, would be given an R-rating. First is that anybody thought the MPAA would rate it anything different given the extreme bondage fetishizing and graphic sexual content of the books. Despite some rumors about lightening up the sex to make it more audience friendly that was never going to happen if they hoped to keep the fanbase happy. The other funny thing is how the MPAA actually described the rating, which fits into their history of being vague, awkward and occasionally bizarre when handling controversial material.

Fifty Shades of Grey has officially been rated R by the super-conservative MPAA  for “strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and for language.” Unusual behavior. So that's what all you Fifty Shades fans out there have to look forward to, some "unusual behavior". That's one way of putting how Christian Grey puts it to Anastasia Steele, I guess. 

Personally, I was hoping to see the film earn the dreaded NC-17 to see just how loyal its fans truly are and if casual moviegoers would be curious enough to buy a ticket.  So there you have it. Get the kids a sitter and check out Fifty Shades of Grey when it opens on February 13th.

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Meet Christian's Family in New 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Images

So far we've only really had a chance to see Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson as Fifty Shades of Grey's Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, but there are other colorful characters to pay attention to. We're now getting a few images of Grey's adoptive family who had quite an impact in forging his dominating personality.

One image features wigged singer Rita Ora as Christian's sister Mia, Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey, and Andrew Airlie as his father, Carrick. There's no sign of Luke Grimes as his brother, Elliott, who enters into a long-term relationship with Anastasia's best friend.

Directed by Sam Tayor-Johnson and co-starring Jennifer Ehle, Victor Rasuk, Max Martini, and Callum Keith Rennie, Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015.

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New Posters for 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb'

This Valentine's Day, women will be lining up (and dragging their significant others) to watch Christian Grey seduce the pants off young Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey. With the most recent trailer featuring stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson still steaming up computers everywhere, a hot new poster has been released as well. Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing, and she's best known for the film Nowhere Boy, which nobody who cares about Fifty Shades of Grey saw. A film like this is a major gamble because of its high profile nature. If she fails, and let's say it's not quite erotic enough (which is very likely), there will be legions of fans out there sending hate mail to her agent.

Doing a complete 180, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is right around the corner, and now we have a whopping ten new posters for the Ben Stiller-led family comedy. These come on the heels of a brand new trailer, also, which offers up more historical hijinks and a last chance to see the great Robin Williams on screen, in the role of Teddy Roosevelt. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is directed by Shawn Levy, and opens December 19th. Here's the official synopsis: Get ready for the wildest and most adventure-filled Night At the Museum ever as Larry (Ben Stiller) spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever. 

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Steamy New Trailer for 'Fifty Shades of Grey' starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson

Let's talk about synergy for a moment, because tonight saw a two perfectly sleazy guilty pleasures working together in perfect harmony. During tonight's episode of ABC's provocative water cooler series Scandal, the brand new trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey debuted to the perfect audience, one that was no doubt waiting anxiously to see it.

Starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, the adaptation of E.L. James' steamy novel follows the sordid sexual encounters between the inexperienced Anastasia Steele and handsome, possessive billionaire Christian Grey. How explicit is this film version going to get compared to the books, which push enough boundaries that some might be begging for a safe word? That's hard to say, but we know there won't be any frontal nudity from the stars. Makes sense if they want this to remain tame enough that teen girls can attend with their moms. Awkward.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015.


Fifty Shades of Grey Official Trailer #2 (2015) - Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson Movie HD. by TrailerNow

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New Poster and Teaser for 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Call your mom! The latest trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey arrives tomorrow, but before then we're treated to this brand new poster featuring Dakota Johnson, plus a brief TV promo. Is biting her lip something Anastasia Steele does frequently in the books or something? My guess is that it's meant to be a sign of her sexual innocence, right? Anyway, fans eager to see Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan getting hot and steamy will have to make due with this for now.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey arrives on February 13th 2015.



SYNOPSIS: Fifty Shades of Grey is the hotly anticipated film adaptation of the bestselling book that has become a global phenomenon. Since its release, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy has been translated into 51 languages worldwide and sold more than 100 million copies in e-book and print—making it one of the biggest and fastest-selling book series ever. Stepping into the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, who have become iconic to millions of readers, are Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson. Joining Dornan and Johnson in the cast are Luke Grimes as Elliot, Christian’s brother; Victor Rasuk as José, Anastasia’s close friend; Eloise Mumford as Kate, Anastasia’s best friend and roommate; Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey, Christian’s mother; Rita Ora as Mia, Christian’s sister; Max Martini as Taylor, Christian’s bodyguard; Callum Keith Rennie as Ray, Anastasia’s stepfather; Jennifer Ehle as Carla, Anastasia’s mother; and Dylan Neal as Bob, Carla’s husband. Fifty Shades of Grey is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E L James, the creator of the series. The screenplay for the film is by Kelly Marcel.

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Get Hot for the First 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Trailer Starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson

"I exercise control in all things, Ms. Steele".

"That must get pretty boring".

"Boring" is probably not what millions of readers of E.L. James' best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey would call the erotic relationship between millionaire bad boy Christian Grey and student Anastasia Steele. The book has been nothing less than a phenomenon that boomed well beyond its fairly humble Twilight fan-fic roots, and to say there have been a lot of anxious people awaiting this first trailer would be understatement. So does it deliver? Check it out for yourself because it is finally here.

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson won the two lead roles after months of exhaustive casting that saw many bigger names rumored. The story, penned by Kelly Marcel and directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, follows the steamy, sexual encounters between the domineering Grey and the inexperienced Steele. Whether mainstream audiences unfamiliar with the books will show up for all of the bondage escapades that await remains to be seen, but there's already such a built-in fanbase that it may not matter. Johnson and Dornan have already begun to blow up in popularity (just as Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson did), and with the sequel Fifty Shades Darker already in the works these movies may be around for awhile.

Personally, I think the trailer is kind of cheap and low rent, but its clearly not looking to hook ME.

Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015.

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Beyonce Uses "Crazy in Love" to Tease 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Trailer

Once thought to be delayed until September, we recently found out the Fifty Shades of Grey trailer will be arriving this month, specifically next Thursday. But one of the privileges of being a celebrity like Beyonce is you get to see things before everybody else, and the superstar singer has used Instagram to reveal a brief teaser for the trailer, set to a slowed down, breathy version of "Crazy in Love".

Along with the altered version of Beyonce hit single, things to keep an eye out for are (presumably) the strict hands of Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey, and (presumably) the anxious thighs of Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele. The S&M drama is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and is based on the worldwide best-seller by E.L. James, following the erotic relationship between the billionaire Grey and the sexually-inexperienced Steele.

Also starring Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Eloise Mumford, Max Martini, Rita Ora, Marcia Gay Harden and Callum Keith Rennie, Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015.

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'Fifty Shades of Grey' Trailer Hits This Month; Universal Moves Ahead on 'Fifty Shades Darker'

Thanks to my friend, author, and Fifty Shades of Grey obsessive Jen Khan for cluing me to this one. A few weeks ago, on the apparent birthday of one Mr. Christian Grey, we learned the Fifty Shades of Grey trailer had been pushed back to September, which no doubt had bored housewives everywhere fuming. But apparently things have changed because E.L. James has taken to Twitter and revealed we'll get a first look at the trailer in just a couple of weeks.

Hold on to your hats folks. You'll get your first look at the FSoG movie trailer on July 24. I’ve had a sneak peek and WOW! #WeAimToPlease
— E L James (@E_L_James) July 9, 2014

Now, the skeptic in me notices that she says "first look at" the trailer, and not "the first trailer" for Fifty Shades of Grey, meaning it could be one of those annoying trailer teases. But we'll just have to wait and see, won't we? Meanwhile, Universal is convinced the erotic thriller will be a hit and are moving forward on the sequel, Fifty Shades Darker, which continues the sexual back-and-forth between Grey and young Anastasia Steele. While the cast led by Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan is expected to return, writer Kelly Marcel won't be and it's unclear if Sam Taylor-Johnson will be back to direct. This is being pitched as an open writing call, so all you wannabe scribes better get out there and start sending in some pitches. 

I think my friend Jen could do it. Her book Emma Chase (Sins of the Father) looks like something Fifty Shades fans will dig, so check it out won't you?

Fifty Shades of Grey is expected to open February 13th 2015. [TheTrackingBoard]

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Interview: Eloise Mumford Talks Military Thriller 'Drones' and 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

In the same way Twilight turned Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner into instant superstars, so has Fifty Shades of Grey done the same for its cast. And one of those caught up Fifty Shades phenomenon is actress Eloise Mumford, who plays Kate Kavanagh in the upcoming film. Her sudden fame has also put a great deal of attention on her other projects, and one of those is the indie film, Drones, which opens this weekend. Directed by Rick Rosenthal and co-starring Matt O'Leary, it's basically a two-hander about two drone pilots facing a moral dilemma when ordered to launch an attack under questionable circumstances. It's a film that takes a hard look at the military's use of drone technology and the changing face of warfare.

I had a chance to talk with Mumford about her role in Drones; working with veteran director Rick Rosenthal in essentially a single-location film; and of course Fifty Shades of Grey. Check out the interview with her below.

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Celebrate Christian Grey's Birthday with New Image of Jamie Dornan in 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

We've seen Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey splashed across magazine covers alongside co-star Dakota Johnson, and in officially released images always with his back towards us, but now in celebration of the fictional character's birthday, Focus Features has released the best look yet at the actor in Fifty Shades of Grey. This comes amidst rumors the movie's trailer has been delayed until September, although nothing on that front has been confirmed.

In the second book of E.L. James' 'Fifty Shades' trilogy, Anastasia Steele sends Grey a letter that reads "Birthday kinky f---ery is to be recommended.", so fans were probably hoping for something a bit steamier than just an image of Dornan sitting in his car. But keeping the story's sexier aspects under wraps is apparently the strategy favored by Focus Features as they've teased little of the story's erotic nature.

Also starring Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Eloise Mumford, Max Martini, Rita Ora, Marcia Gay Harden and Callum Keith Rennie, Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015.

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson Will Have a Role in 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Before Charlie Hunnam briefly became the guy settled upon to play Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey, the name briefly linked to the role was Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Obviously that didn't work out for either actor, and given that Johnson's wife Sam Taylor-Wood took over as director it was a little surprising he didn't end up with it. But it turns out he'll be appearing in the film, anyway, in an unspecified role.

Wood revealed to Access Hollywood (via the Daily Mail) that Johnson will have a role in the film, but didn't elaborate on what it was. Could it be a part written in just for him? That's a possibility as they are in post-production on the racy adaptation of E.L. James' best-selling erotic novel, which will star Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.

So add this to Johnson's string of likely blockbusters that includes Godzilla and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015.

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Celebrate Valentine's Day with New Image from 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

In case you forgot or have blocked it out of mind, today is Valentine's Day. And while we have a pretty good short list of weird movies to check out this lovers' holiday, in exactly one year from today women will be tying up their significant others and dragging them to see Fifty Shades of Grey. Emphasis on "tying up".

To celebrate, Focus Features has unveiled a brand new image from the film, and it appears to be of Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele when she first encounters Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), her future partner in bondage.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey co-stars Jennifer Ehle, Victor Rasuk, Luke Grimes, Eloise Mumford, Max Martini, Rita Ora, Marcia Gay Harden and Callum Keith Rennie.

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First Poster for 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

With more than a year until bored moms everywhere start scheduling babysitters so they can check out Fifty Shades of Grey in relative peace, the first teaser poster has already been released. The image features Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey, and apparently he's ready to see you now, ladies. Don't forget the safe word.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and based on the first book in the best-selling trilogy of erotic novels, the story centers on the explicit sexual relationship between Grey, a billionaire with an S&M fetish, and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), his inexperienced partner.

It's one thing to read and get into these books in the quiet comfort of your own home, but will people be willing to expose their freaky sides in public? We'll find out when Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015.

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Ridley Scott Picks Up 'Fae'; Dexter Fletcher Lands Freddie Mercury Biopic; 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Adds Callum Rennie

* Ridley Scott probably isn't the guy you'd associate with YA novels, but he's apparently found one he really digs. He's picked up the rights to produce Fae, the first in a trilogy (duh, aren't they all?) of novels by  C.J. Abedi, and basically it sounds like every other book in the genre outside of The Hunger Games. The story follows Caroline Ellis, a "descendant of Virginia Dare, the first child born in the lost colony of Roanoke, and unaware of her birthright as the heir to the throne of the Light Fae, it isn't until Caroline begins a tumultuous relationship with Devilyn Reilly that the truth of her heritage is revealed." The book is apparently quite the Twitter and Facebook phenomenon, and a best-seller in digital media, although I've never heard of it before. [Deadline]

* The long-developing biopic on Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has finally come together. Once with Sacha Baron Cohen attached, who would have been perfect in my humble opinion, Ben Whishaw took on the role recently, and now the film has a director. Actor-turned-director Dexter Fletcher (Wild Bill) will be at the helm of Peter Morgan's script, which follows the band from their early days all the way to the Live Aid concert in 1985. Fletcher is already meeting with the band to get a feel for his approach, and one thing they won't be covering is Mercury's later illness and death in 1991. Filming is set to begin next year.  [Deadline]

* Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) will play Anastasia Steele's stepfather Ray Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey. The film has nearly completed casting at this point with Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Ehle, Victor Rasuk, Luke Grimes, Max Martini, Dylan Neal, Rita Ora, and Eloise Mumford. Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing the film for release on February 13th 2015.

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'Fifty Shades of Grey' Adds Marcia Gay Harden and Rita Ora

Filming on Fifty Shades of Grey is underway in Vancouver, and while producers continue to ponder an NC-17 version of the erotic adaptation to go along with a tamer R-rated cut, the cast is filling out nicely. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dorman lead a cast of folks most people have never heard of but now a couple of new additions should help punch up the star power significantly, especially across the pond.

Marcia Gay Harden and Rita Ora have joined the cast, with the former taking on the role of Christian Grey's adoptive mom, Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey. Ora is another that American audiences may not be familiar with, but in the U.K. she's a chart-topping singer whose debut album debuted at #1 last year. She's been slowly making moves into Hollywood, recently playing a racer in Fast & Furious 6. She'll play Mia Grey, Christian's adoptive sister. Apparently at some point the story goes beyond just BDSM and into some sort of weird kidnapping plot, with Mia being held for a $5M ransom by a couple of other characters who will pop up at some point.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and co-starring Jennifer Ehle, Victor Rasuk, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Eloise Mumford and Max Martini, Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 13th 2015. [THR/Variety]

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'Fifty Shades of Grey' Adds Eloise Mumford as Anastasia Steele's Best Friend

Have producers made the right decision casting mostly unknowns for Fifty Shades of Grey? For sure, the adaptation of the erotic novel your mom's book club loves doesn't need A-listers to be a hit, but will the lack of starpower keep others from checking the film out? It's a question we know the answer to for awhile, and now even longer since the film was recently pushed back into 2015. Whatever the case, the role of Anastasia Steele's friend Kate has now been filled by an actress audiences probably won't be familiar with.

Eloise Mumford will join Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Victor Rasuk, Jennifer Ehle, and Luke Grimes in the film directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. Kate is the confident best friend to Anastasia Steele and also works at the Washington State University newspaper. When she falls ill, she convinces her friend to take the assignment interviewing young entrepreneur Christian Grey, and the rest is leather-bound history. Mumford starred in the short-lived ABC series The River and would probably like you to forget she was part of Miley Cyrus' direct-to-DVD flop, So Undercover.

Fifty Shades of Grey is set to open on February 13th 2015. [Variety]

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'Fifty Shades of Grey' Bumped to 2015; First Look at Stars Jamie Dornan & Dakota Johnson

When Charlie Hunnam said "no mas" and dropped out of Universal and Focus Feature's Fifty Shades of Grey, the studios scrambled to find someone to take on the role of Christian Grey, eventually deciding on Jamie Dornan. But at the same time they were taking some of Hunnam's criticisms of the script to heart, recently hiring Mark Bomback to do some rewriting on what Kelly Marcel and Patrick Marber had done before. It's this aspect of the production that caused them to push back the start date, and now it's effected when we'll see the finished film in theaters.

Not surprisingly, Fifty Shades of Grey won't hit its target August 1st 2014 date, and has now been moved all way to February 13th 2015. That means it'll be ready just in time for Valentine's Day, in case any couples are looking to spice up the holiday with dinner, dessert, and the BDSM erotic thriller. Dakota Johnson is will play Christian' s lover, Anastasia Steele; Luke Grimes is Christian's brother, Elliot; Jennifer Ehle is Anastasia's mother; and Victor Rasuk is her best friend, Jose.  Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing.

After a number of other high-profile names had been mentioned for the Grey and Steele roles, some were surprised that two relative unknowns in Dornan and Johnson were chosen. Now we're getting a look at what producers saw in the duo as they graced the cover of this week's Entertainment Weekly, with him looking spiffy and possessive, and her willing to be possessed. That seems about right, doesn't it? What do you think? Do they look the parts at least?

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'Fifty Shades of Grey' Start Date Pushed Back as Mark Bomback Does Script Polish

So it appears Charlie Hunnam wasn't messing around when he began suggesting changes to Kelly Marcel's Fifty Shades of Grey script. Of course, producers balked when he started asking for approval, leading to his exiting the film, but they must have been listening because Patrick Marber was brought in to do a rewrite. And now it appears further changes are needed as Mark Bomback (The Wolverine) has been hired to give the script one final polish.

Filming was set to begin in just a few days but Variety is reporting that production has been pushed back a month to December 2nd, giving Bomback a chance to fix whatever problems persist. I would suggest the problem is the silly book from which it's based, but that might get me in trouble with my mom so it's best to shut up about that. Bomback would seem to be an unexpected choice considering his most recent films, however his first screenplay was for The Night Caller, a thriller about a radio host's obsessed fan. He also wrote the erotic thriller Deception, so perhaps he has more experience in this field than one might immediately suspect.

Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Ehle, and Luke Grimes are already to go with Sam Taylor-Johnson directing. Fifty Shades of Grey is still slated to open on August 1st 2014.

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Jamie Dornan Officially Replaces Charlie Hunnam in 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

In the wake of Charlie Hunnam unceremoniously dropping out of Fifty Shades of Grey, for reasons that vary depending on who you ask, Universal and Focus Features have been scrambling to find his replacement. With filming set to begin in just a few weeks they didn't have time to completely start from scratch, and so a list of old and new candidates emerged. On that list from the very beginning, and deemed to be the frontrunner shortly thereafter was Once Upon a Time star, Jamie Dornan, and it appears he has now won the job.

Dornan, who also had a small role in Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette  and starred in the BBC's The Fall, will take on the role of rich BDSM fanatic Christian Grey. He'll join co-star Dakota Johnson who plays the sexually inexperienced Anastasia Steele, and apparently it was there hot screen test together that convinced producers and director Sam Taylor-Johnson he was the perfect choice. Presumably he also looks good with his shirt off since the New York Times nicknamed the former model "The Golden Torso". Jennifer Ehle remains on board as Steele's mother, and it's possible those scenes will be the first to be filmed.

Well, the long national nightmare is finally over. Fifty Shades of Grey is expected to open on August 1st 2014.  [TheWrap]

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Scott Eastwood the Latest Rumored for 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Mere days after Charlie Hunnam headed for the hills, we may be inching closer to learning who his replacement on Fifty Shades of Grey will be. Five names have been mentioned as potential candidates: Alexander Skarsgard, Christian Cooke (Romeo and Juliet), Jamie Dornan (The Fall), Francois Arnaud (The Borgias), and Theo James (Divergent); but now one more has emerged in rising star, Scott Eastwood.

The son of the legendary Clint Eastwood, Scott has had roles in a number of his father's films, including last year's Trouble with the Curve. He recently landed a role opposite Brad Pitt in the WWII thriller, Fury, which is huge but nothing compared to the frenzy that awaits him if he takes the 'Fifty Shades' role, playing wealthy BDSM bad boy Christian Grey.

But there are a couple of wrinkles to throw in the mix. In a recent meeting with its employees, Universal announced that a final decision would come in the next few weeks, plenty of time for more names to enter the picture. At the same time the field could be getting smaller with JustJared reporting that Eastwood is one of only five contenders left. Has somebody already been ruled out?

Fifty Shades of Grey is expected to open on August 1st 2014.

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