To “50 Shades of Grey” fans, this comes as no surprise. We are still waiting to hear from Universal Studios and author E. L. James regarding their decision on who will play Christian Grey in the upcoming film adaptation. For a brief second, a moment so fleeting that some ponder whether it ever existed, we had our Mr. Grey. Charlie Hunnam was our guy, and he looked promising. Finally, fans could get a decent night of sleep without waking up every 30 minutes to pry at social media outlets, searching for a confirmation. But of course, in classic “50 Shades” casting style, the moment has passed. There’s nothing else to do but start back at square one and hope that the head honchos will act more hastily this time around.
As frustrating as it may be to not have our Christian Grey in sight, signs do indicate that producers are working as hard as they can to fix the problem. With the film slated for an August 1 release, it’s imperative to start shooting as soon as possible. And what’s a “50 Shades” movie without the perfect Christian?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tony-nominated actor Billy Magnussen and “The Fall” star Jamie Dornan read alongside Dakota Johnson late last week. There’s currently a small group in serious consideration, and fans remain optimistic that a decision will arrive within the next couple weeks.
As for Hunnam, he recently revealed to E! News the innerworkings behind his departure, putting speculations to rest. "I am doing good. I am just really concentrating on work. It's been a really busy time," he said. “I have had some family stuff going on so just trying to stay focused and stay positive and keep trying to do a good job at work and be with my family and stay positive."
It’s hard to see Hunnam go, but fans must remain diligent. A decision is right around the corner. The time to give your two cents and vote for your favorite Christian Grey contender is running out.