50 Shades of Grey adaptation could be out in 2014

Universal and Focus Features announced back in October that they had hired Kelly Marcel (Terra Nova) to pen a script for a big screen adaptation of E L James' 50 Shades of Grey and in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Universal chairman Adam Fogelson claims the film could be out as soon as next summer - which some feel is a little late in the game to capitalise on its success.

"I certainly understand why some people might take that point of view" Fogelson said. "But I don't believe that [E L James] had any interest in going to a studio where rushing it into production was the vision. I don't believe that the second or third film would have benefited from that strategy. And I think that there are totally legitimate questions about what this book is as a movie. I will tell you that it is an absolute priority for us. It's conceivable that we could be ready to release it as early as next summer."

He also noted that they did not approach Angelina Jolie to direct the movie as previously rumoured: "We're involved in a different project with her. But we have had really, really interesting, great conversations with talented, serious filmmakers."

50 Shades of Grey took the world by storm last year and became one of the biggest selling books of all time with 450 million copies sold worldwide. It was translated into 45 different languages and in the UK sold more copies than the entire Harry Potter franchise combined. Universal acquired the rights to the book back in March.