Bringing E.L. James' steamy novel Fifty Shades of Grey to the big screen could prove to be a tricky task. Not only will they have to get the casting right, but whoever is tapped to direct will have to figure out a way to bring the sexually charged story to life without turning it into a full-on adult film, assuming they're aiming for an R rating on the picture. Beyond Christian Grey's room full of grown-up toys and Anastasia Steele's apprehension over being his submissive, there is actually a budding romance developing within the story. The novel grabbed the attention of women all over, so perhaps it would be fitting for a woman to helm the film.
Universal Pictures and Focus Features won the rights to bring Fifty Shades to the big screen back in March. Since then, there's been much speculation over who should/might play the lead roles, and the question of who will direct is still unanswered. Per Deadline, the latter likely won't be until a producer is set first. But there are now rumors circulating that Angelina Jolie might be in the running for the job of directing. The Hollywood Reporter says that "people were saying" Jolie had been approached to direct the movie, and that their sources say there may have been an "informal conversation" but that "nothing was real." Jolie's reps have denied there being any talks with Focus, and Focus also denied the rumor. Meanwhile, Deadline's sources say no discussions have been had, "but they note that if she was interested, that the studio would be also." So at this point, if there's any truth to it, no one is ready or willing to confirm it.
We can file this one under a rumor for now, though it could be a possibility. Jolie has a couple of acting projects coming up, including Maleficent (due out early 2014) and eventually Salt 2. Her schedule might allow her time to direct a film. It wouldn't be her first. In addition to the documentary A Place in Time, Jolie directed the 2011 war drama In the Land of Blood and Honey. This would be taking things in a different direction, but who knows? We'll have to wait and see if anything comes of this talk, or if it's just more speculation in anticipation of another popular book getting the big screen treatment.
