Director Gus Van Sant, who is best known for films like Good Will Hunting and Milk, probably isn't the first name you think of when considering potential filmmakers to helm the film version of EL James' Fifty Shades of Grey, but apparently he really wants the gig...so much so that he's already filmed test footage to show that he's the right man for the job.
The Wrap is reporting word from insiders that say that twice Oscar nominated filmmaker has teamed up with Magic Mike star Alex Pettyfer to film a "steamy sex scene" from the book in order to show that he is the right director for the highly-anticipated adaptation. Sources say that the scene Van Sant chose was the one in which protagonist Anastasia Steele loses her virginity to Christian Grey, though there's no mention of who played the ingenue in the scene.
The site notes that Pettyfer is not officially attached to the feature in any way, and was merely a choice for the test footage. That said, the film is being made by Focus Features, a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, which just cast the young British actor in the upcoming Endless Love remake.
The status of the Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation is a bit unclear at the moment, though previous reports have suggested the movie could be in theaters by next summer, and screenwriter Kelly Marcel has promised that the movie will be aiming for an NC-17 rating.
What do the fans think? Would you be game for Gus Van Sant directing James' novel? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
