Kelly Marcell | 50 Shades Movie Fansite

If this journey has taught us anything, it’s that the media loves to put a spin on things. They know that the FSoG fandom is hungry for information and what it takes to push our buttons.

We’re as excited as you are to hear about Team Fifty’s progress, so when online articles started to surface about interviews with Kelly Marcell, the screenwriter for the project, we eagerly clicked away and started reading. However, after reading, we went with our gut and decided this was another case of the media putting a spin on her words and waited before posting anything here. We’re glad we did.

Kelly Marcel took to Twitter to denounce using the word “raunchy” when talking about the FSoG script as well the NC-17 rating. (To read more about MPAA movie ratings, go here.)

Michele ‏@bale4fifty

@allimar17 @fiftyshadesfilm supposedly Kelly marcel used the word in the interview. Only going on what I read.

7 Jan

Allison ‏@allimar17

@bale4fifty @FiftyShadesFilm If @MissMarcel used ‘raunchy’ not the classiest of words. I’d prefer for the film to be tasteful.. Thoughts?

8 Jan

Kelly Marcel ‏@MissMarcel

@allimar17 @bale4fifty @FiftyShadesFilm not a word I used.

Kelly Marcel ‏@MissMarcel

To be absolutely clear I NEVER said what the film would be rated. Only the ratings board can decide what the rating will be.

The age of Twitter has given us a vehicle of direct contact with Team Fifty. We are lucky that they are willing to respond to fans, allowing us to wisely use it for validation before buying into the media hype.

In addition to Team Fifty Twitter accounts (@E_L_James, @MichaelDe_Luca, @DanaBrunetti, and @MissMarcell), other great resources are @fiftyshadesUK (Fifty Shades Trilogy UK website), the author’s official website, and the new Fifty Shades Of Grey The Movie Facebook page [see sidebar for links]).

As the author has told us, this is an extremely slow process. With an unprecedented amount of buzz surrounding the movie adaptation, it’s understandable that fans are eager for things to get moving. However, we believe it’s a good thing that Team Fifty is taking their time. Christian and Ana’s epic love story deserves to be told right. We have complete faith that it will be worth the wait, so hang in there!

(A/N: THR also did a nice job covering the rumors, an article which the author supports. In it, co-producer Dana Brunetti reiterates, ”The script isn’t even written yet, so how could we know how [the MPAA's Classification and] Ratings Board will rate it?” Read more here.)

Below is an excerpt from the official Fifty Shades of Grey The Movie Facebook Page:

Universal Pictures and Focus Features today announced that Kelly Marcel will write the screenplay to the highly anticipated film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti will produce the film based on E L James’ #1 Bestselling book, alongside James. The announcement was made by Universal Pictures Co-Chairman, Donna Langley and Focus Features’ Chief Executive Officer, James Schamus.

Marcel wrote the 2011 Black List script, Saving Mr. Banks, the story of Walt Disney’s twenty-year pursuit of the film rights to author P.L. Travers’ novel, “Mary Poppins,” and the rocky relationship that formed between the two. The film is currently in production at Walt Disney Studios starring Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson and Colin Farrell with John Lee Hancock directing. Marcel served as the co-creator and executive producer of the Amblin/FOX-TV series Terra Nova, for which she wrote the series’ pilot episode. She will also produce The Madonnas Of Echo Park for HBO.

“Kelly’s work demonstrates her flawless structural technique and passionate commitment to emotion, humor and depth of character which is particularly visible in the celebrated screenplay for the upcoming Saving Mr. Banks,” said De Luca. “We were all taken with the depth and passion of Kelley’s engagement with the characters and world E L James has created and we knew she was the right person to augment our Fifty Shades family,” added Brunetti.