Bonjour!
MICHAEL DE LUCA AND DANA BRUNETTI TO PRODUCE UNIVERSAL
PICTURES
AND FOCUS FEATURES’
FILM ADAPTATION OF THE #1 BESTSELLING
BOOK “FIFTY SHADES OF GREY”
Universal 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 James’
#1 Bestselling book alongside James (OMG).
The announcement was made by Universal Pictures Co-Chairman,
Donna Langley and Focus Features’ 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 (TÕESÕNA MA ARVASIN,
ET MÄTSIVAD NEIST KOLMEST BUKIST MISKIT KOKKU)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 “Fifty Shades” trilogy has
sold over 20 million copies in e-book and print making it
one of the fastest selling book series ever.
(ÜHESÕNAGA - PEATAGE SEE KRDI PLANEET, MA ASTUKS MAHA...)
“At its core, Fifty Shades of Grey is a complex
love story, requiring a delicate and sophisticated hand to bring
it to the big screen,” said Langley.
“Mike and Dana’s credits more than exemplify what we need in creative
partners and we’re glad to have them as part of our team.”
“Michael De Luca is a dream producer, whose combination of vision,
taste and fearlessness is the perfect match for Fifty Shades of Grey,”
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 2011’s Best Picture nominee Moneyball starring Brad Pitt
as Oakland A’s 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 Hanks’ 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
(OH JUMMAL TÄNATUD - ÄKKI TEEVAD SU LUGEMISPÄEVIKU JÄRGI IKKA),
Wag the Dog, American History X and Boogie Nights.
Additional film credits for Brunetti include Casino Jack, 21, Fanboys,
Beyond The Sea and Safe.
“I am thrilled that Mike has joined Team Fifty,” said E L James.
“He brings a passion for and in-depth understanding of the characters
and story, and a wealth of experience in making quality films.”
“Dana and I are both grateful and honored to be invited to join this team,”
said De Luca.
“We 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.”
“Fifty Shades of Grey” follows the relationship of 27-year-old
billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele.
Subsequent novels in the series, “Fifty Shades Darker” (September 2011)
and “Fifty Shades Freed” (January 2012) explore the couple’s
deepening relationship.
