Will “Fifty Shades of Grey” ever happen? Production for the film adaptation of E L James’s bestseller has been slower than lines at the DMV during rush hour. Momentum slowed down even more this past weekend when Charlie Hunnam dropped out of the project — Charlie Hunnam, who was supposed to play Christian Grey, as in the title character. The “Sons of Anarchy” actor cited his “immersive TV schedule” not allowing him to fully prepare for the role as the reason for his decision.
This may seem like a bitch move to many, but I can respect his decision. He wasn’t making his “SOA” fans happy, he wasn’t making “Fifty Shades” fans happy, and I bet you anything he wasn’t making his girlfriend of six years happy. And the one advantage to all the disadvantages is not even a payoff that Hunnam wants. Several sources close to the actor say that he didn’t want the pressure or excess fame that playing Christian Grey would dump on him. Hunnam reportedly didn’t want “Fifty Shades” to be the “Showgirls” of his career, forever tainting an otherwise respectable image he’s built by playing a badass bike gang leader. One source even went as far as to say that Hunnam never wanted to do the movie, that he told his agents from the start that he would drop out. On the other hand, other sources insist that his decision doesn’t go beyond scheduling conflicts and inability to fully commit to the project. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.
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Hunnam seemed genuinely happy to be on board after an initial reading with Dakota Johnson, who is still signed on to play the female lead, Anastasia Steele. He said of their first meeting, “There’s just like a tangible chemistry between us. It felt exciting and fun and weird and compelling.” He also added, “I’m taking it very seriously and intend to explore the nature of who this character is, what motivates him — and also dress up nice and look good in those suits.” So the theory that he went into it knowing he’d walk away is out, not to mention idiotic (why would anyone do that?).
However, the theory that the mounting pressure and negative fan reaction got to him seems more accurate. “There are so many fans of that book and I know that on the surface, I’m probably not what everybody imagined,” he acknowledged. “Because reading is so personal and people bring a character to life in their imagination, they feel ownership over that character.” And the same goes for “SOA” fans who conceded to watching their beloved Jax Teller play wimpy roles in “The Ledge” and “3, 2, 1 … Frankie Go Boom,” but will be damned if they are going to watch him fuel teenage fantasies as Christian Grey. Regardless of the reasoning, Universal/Focus is probably not ecstatic right now.
Now that they’re back to square one with the movie’s lead actor, I’m losing the last remaining bits of patience I had for this thing. In addition to Hunnam dropping out, it was also recently reported that the script is being reworked by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Patrick Marber, which could further delay production.
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For me, the buzz from this book died after I attempted to read the first chapter and decided that the nutritional label on a granola bar was more compelling. Will people still care when the film comes out next August, when it is currently scheduled to be released (but could very well be pushed back due to this casting snafu)? Let’s remember that the book first became relevant in 2011, and it’s not like we’re talking about a timeless piece of literature that you can adapt decades after its inception.
The only way the buzz could be revived is with another sensational lead actor cast as Christian Grey, but this time one that doesn’t defy all logic. There are rumors that Irish actor Jamie Dornan is being courted, which would check off sharp, model-like bone structure, something that grizzly Hunnam lacked (but that’s just how we like him). Or maybe the studios should just throw in the towel and hire an NYU theater grad who looks the part. Either way, this movie needs to get made soon, or we’re all just going to put this f*ckery behind us.
