A surprising amount of people want to see softcore porn with a bunch of strangers. Fifty Shades of Grey, which has been Rated-R in part because of "unusual behavior" (because "weird fucking" doesn't fit well in an MPAA rating description,) ranked as the 4th most-anticipated film of 2015. Based on novel by E.L. James (which began as Twilight fan fiction), the story revolves around Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and her introduction to a whole new world of sexual discovery and risqué activities in the hands of billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).
Now Fifty Shades of Grey is the fastest-selling R-rated film in Fandango's history. The company announced that the erotic drama, which opens February 14th, has topped Sex and the City 2, The Hangover Part II, The Hangover Part III, and Gone Girl. I haven't read James' book, but I'm still stunned (and oddly appreciative) that one of the year's hottest movies isn't a PG-13 action film. Hit the jump for the press release.
Here's the press release:
“FIFTY SHADES” IS FANDANGO’S FASTEST-SELLING R-RATED MOVIE
IN COMPANY HISTORY
Opening February 13, The Hotly-Anticipated Drama Fires Up Biggest First Week of
Advance Ticket Sales on Fandango for a Non-Sequel Since the Record Holder “The Hunger Games”
LOS ANGELES – January 16, 2015 – “Fifty Shades of Grey” doesn’t open until February 13, but fans are already scooping up their tickets on Fandango to the hotly-anticipated adaptation of the popular best-seller. The film is currently the fastest-selling R-rated title in Fandango’s 15-year history, already outpacing several major hits.
Fandango's top-5 R-rated advance ticketers, in first week of sales (as of Friday, January 16, 2015):
1. "Fifty Shades of Grey” (2014)
2. “Sex and the City 2” (2010)
3. “The Hangover Part II” (2011)
4. “The Hangover Part III” (2013)
5. “Gone Girl” (2014)
“Fifty Shades” is also having the biggest first week of ticket sales on Fandango for a non-sequel film, since the first “Hunger Games” movie in 2012, which still holds the record. Theater owners are posting new show times each day on Fandango to meet the hot fan demand in all the fifty states.
"It's tracking to be Fandango’s fastest-selling R-rated movie of all time," says Fandango Chief Correspondent Dave Karger. “Very few books can claim true national phenomenon status – and ‘Fifty Shades’ ranks with ‘Twilight,’ “The Hunger Games’ and ‘Gone Girl” as novels that entered the zeitgeist from coast to coast. Fans of the book have been waiting for years to see their favorite sexy characters come to life on the big screen, and they are clearly fueling our sensational advance sales.”
At the end of December 2014, Fandango surveyed more than 1,000 ticket-buyers, asking them which 2015 films they’re most excited to see on the big screen. “Fifty Shades” ranked among the top four films, along with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2,” while “Fifty Shades” star Jamie Dornan was voted “Biggest Male Breakout Movie Star of 2015.”