Dakota Johnson will play Anastasia Steele in the adaptation of E.L. James' Fifty Shades Of Grey, as directed by Sam Taylor Wood and scripted by Saving Mr. Banks' writer Kelly Marcel. And shortly on the heels of that announcement came the news that Charlie Hunnam will play billionaire sex god Christian Grey.
Speaking to the thousands of gods and goddesses (inner or otherwise) who follow her on Twitter, James said of the casting, "I am delighted to let you know that the lovely Dakota Johnson has agreed to be our Anastasia in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey."
Fashion model, actress and soon-to-be the most talked about woman of all time (for a period, anyway), Johnson is the daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, and has previously appeared in 21 Jump Street, **The Social Network **and The Five-Year Engagement.
As well as Fifty Shades Of Grey, she's also set hit cinema screens in the upcoming Need For Speed adaptation, which stars Aaron Paul.
Hunnam is probably best known for his work on TV's Sons Of Anarchy, but also starred in this year's Pacific Rim. Before that he appeared in Children Of Men and - waaay back in the day - Byker Grove. He's due to reunite with Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro on Crimson P****eak next.
**Fifty Shades Of Grey **sees the young and virginal Anastasia Steele fall headlong for the charms of billionaire twentysomething Christian Grey, who hides a dark secret: he's a vampire he likes bondage and sadomasochistic sex. He asks her to sign a contract to become his submissive; she thinks about it; they bonk. The book began as **Twilight **fan fiction but has since surpassed that series and become a legitimate phenomenon in its own right. We wrote a little about it here.
August 1, 2014 is when Fifty Shades is set to spank into cinemas. Hold out hope that it'll be shot in black and white - you know, for the irony.