Though itâs tough to argue for the artistic merit of something that began as Twilight fan fiction written on the internet, weâre starting to get an idea of what the feature film adaptation of E.L. Jamesâ âmommy pornâ trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey might look like. Producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti have been tapped by Universal and Focus Features to produce the big screen iteration of Fifty Shades of Grey.  Somewhat surprisingly the studios did not choose some tween pandering or hyper-commercial duo, as De Luca and Brunetti both produced David Fincherâs The Social Network, with De Luca also producing one of last yearâs best films, Moneyball. Focus Features CEO Donna Langley had this to say about the hiring:
âAt its core, Fifty Shades of Grey is a complex love story, requiring a delicate and sophisticated hand to bring it to the big screen. Mike and Danaâs credits more than exemplify what we need in creative partners and weâre glad to have them as part of our team.â
Hit the jump for more.
For those living under a rock, the erotic novel series traces the deepening relationship between a female college graduate and a young business magnate. Jamesâ idea of a âdeepening relationshipâ includes a good deal of filthy, submissive sex packed to the brim with BDSM (pun intended). I hold little esteem for this kind of smut, but I have to admit that De Luca and Brunettiâs involvement has me slightly intrigued.
Iâve no idea if this will steer closer to Showgirls or something like Story of O, but De Luca and Brunetti have some winners on their resumes. The duo are currently producing Paul Greengrassâ next film, Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks and theyâre also behind Frank Darabontâs period TNT series L.A. Noir.  Now we wait to see who they nab to direct and adapt this damn thing.  Read the full press release below.
LOS ANGELES, CA, July 9, 2012âUniversal Pictures and Focus Features today announced that veteran producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti will produce Fifty Shades of Grey. De Luca and Brunetti will produce the film based on E L Jamesâ #1 Bestselling book alongside James. The announcement was made by Universal Pictures Co-Chairman, Donna Langley and Focus Featuresâ Chief Executive Officer, James Schamus.
In March, Universal Pictures and Focus Features announced the acquisition of rights to the entire Fifty Shades Trilogy with Focus Features marketing and distributing the first film in partnership with Universal. To date, Vintage Books has sold 31 million e-book and print copies of the trilogy in English-language markets worldwide. In the U.S. alone, the âFifty Shadesâ trilogy has sold over 20 million copies in e-book and print making it one of the fastest selling book series ever.
âAt its core, Fifty Shades of Grey is a complex love story, requiring a delicate and sophisticated hand to bring it to the big screen,â said Langley. âMike and Danaâs credits more than exemplify what we need in creative partners and weâre glad to have them as part of our team.â
âMichael De Luca is a dream producer, whose combination of vision, taste and fearlessness is the perfect match for Fifty Shades of Grey,â said Schamus.
As an award-winning producer, De Luca has made his mark on some of the most critically-acclaimed films of the last few years including 2011âs Best Picture nominee Moneyball starring Brad Pitt as Oakland Aâs former general manager, Billy Beane. Brunetti and De Luca served together as producers with Scott Rudin and Cean Chaffin on The Social Network which earned critical accolades, including an Academy Award® nomination for Best Picture. Brunetti and De Luca are collaborating with Scott Rudin on the upcoming Tom Hanksâ film Captain Phillips, the true story of a cargo ship captain held hostage by Somali pirates and rescued by Navy SEALs. Other film credits for De Luca include I Am Sam, Blow, Magnolia, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Wag the Dog, American History X and Boogie Nights. Additional film credits for Brunetti include Casino Jack, 21, Fanboys, Beyond The Sea and Safe.
âI am thrilled that Mike has joined Team Fifty,â said E L James. âHe brings a passion for and in-depth understanding of the characters and story, and a wealth of experience in making quality films.â
âDana and I are both grateful and honored to be invited to join this team,â said De Luca. âWe deeply respect and admire the kinds of films Donna, James and Jeb have been responsible for and are very excited to be joining Erika in a collaboration to bring her vision of this once in a lifetime, provocative and resonant love story to the screen.â
âFifty Shades of Greyâ follows the relationship of 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele. Subsequent novels in the series, âFifty Shades Darkerâ (September 2011) and âFifty Shades Freedâ (January 2012) explore the coupleâs deepening relationship.