The “mommy porn” bestseller FIFTY SHADES OF GREY is one step closer to the big screen. Universal and Focus Features have officially announced that the screenplay for the adaptation of the E.L. James bestseller will be penned by Kelly Marcel.
Marcel is not a very well known name, yet, but she has gotten some high profile projects under her belt. She was the co-creator of the short-lived FOX series TERRA NOVA, for which she wrote the pilot. The science-fiction series about time travel and dinosaurs was executive produced by Steven Spielberg but lasted only one season. Marcel also wrote SAVING MR. BANKS, the Black List screenplay about the relationship between Walt Disney and PL Travers and the filming of MARY POPPINS. That film is being directed by John Lee Hancock and stars Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, and Colin Farrell.
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY is the bestselling first novel in a trilogy that follows the relationship of 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele. It has been translated into 45 languages and has sold over 32 million copies.
Producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti had this to say about Marcel: “Kelly’s work demonstrates her flawless structural technique and passionate commitment to emotion, humor and depth of character which is particularly visible in the celebrated screenplay for the upcoming SAVING MR. BANKS. We were all taken with the depth and passion of Kelley’s engagement with the characters and world E L James has created and we knew she was the right person to augment our FIFTY SHADES family.”
Much like TWILIGHT, I don’t get the big deal about FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. Neither series is very well written, which is a deal-breaker for me. A good book has to have a good story and be well written, not one or the other. There is nothing really shocking or original about the content of the FIFTY SHADES books and i think that in about ten years it will be an afterthought. But, time will tell.
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY has not yet cast any actors and has no firm release date, but with a screenwriter on board, we will likely hear more news soon.
