Following on pretty sharpish from the announcement that relative unknown Dakota Johnson will be playing Anastasia in the adaptation of this massive literary phenomenon, it was announced that Charlie Hunnam will be filling the well-tailored suits of Christian Grey.
After months and months of speculation, with pretty much every pretty boy in Hollywood considered for the role - Ryan Gosling, Alex Pettyfer, Alexander Skarsgard and more were all rumoured to have bagged the part at one time or another - it has fallen into the lap of Hunnam.
We had the pleasure of speaking to the actor a few months back while he was doing his worldwide press tour for Pacific Rim, and in person, Hunnam certainly seems the part. Handsome and with a commanding presence, on paper he seems like a perfect match for Grey.
But going a little further than that, what the makers of the movie version of 50 Shades Of Grey have done is actually make an inspired decision. For one, the actor they've chosen isn’t bigger than the part he'd playing, which would’ve almost certainly been the case had the role ended up going to Gosling or someone on that level of fame.
Secondly, they've picked a decidedly good actor to play the part! While Pacific Rim didn't exactly stretch his abilities, anyone who is familiar with Hunnam from the likes of Sons Of Anarchy, Nicholas Nickleby or even his big break in Queer As Folk will recognise he is an actor of incredible range who can bring so much more to this role than just good looks and the ability to hold a paddle.
What about all you fans of the 50 Shades Of Grey series, what do you think of Hunnam as Grey? Spot-on, or complete mis-fire? Let us know in the comments below!
50 Shades Of Grey will be in cinemas on August 1st 2014.