It was one of the most controversial casting decisions in recent memory, and now it’s fallen apart. Charlie Hunnam is out as Christian Grey in the movie adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.
As we’ve reported previously on TGD, the fans weren’t nuts about Hunnam, or Dakota Johnson, being cast in the lead roles, and petitions went up all over the net trying to get the actors they wanted. (86,000 fans voted.) We saw a similar social outrage with the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, but in both these cases the train had left the station, and there was nothing we could do about it.
Or so we thought. The Hollywood Reporter tells us the attention that came with the role was overwhelming for Hunnam, and he dropped out. The Huffington Post also reported his schedule on Sons of Anarchy was a problem, but the Reporter says this is nonsense. And indeed, most actors can have both jobs scheduled without too much difficulty.
Who knows who’s next in line to play Grey? If the fans aren’t happy with Hunnam’s replacement, it will erupt another ‘net war. (The fans want Matt Bomer and Alexis Bledel, and we’ll see if at least half of their wishes come true.) Fifty Shades of Grey is currently scheduled for an August 1, 2014 release date, barring any difficulty finding a new star.
