'Fifty Shades' of Backlash: Fallout from the Casting News

Maybe it hasn't been as controversial as the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, but the casting of the leads in the film version of "50 Shades of Grey" has generated its share of fan outrage. When the film's producers announced the actors' names this week, many fans were disappointed in the choices and expressed their dismay on Twitter.

Dakota Johnson, most recently of the cancelled "Ben & Kate" on Fox, was picked to play sexual ingénue Anastasia Steele, and Charlie Hunnam of "Pacific Rim" and "Sons of Anarchy" was chosen to play Christian Grey, the young billionaire who dominates her.

Addressing the backlash over the announcement, producer Dana Brunetti tweeted an explanation.

"There is a lot that goes into casting that isn’t just looks. Talent, availability, their desire to do it, chemistry with other actor, etc. So if your favorite wasn’t cast, then it is most likely due to something on that list. Keep that in mind while hating and keep perspective," he wrote.

Favorite fan candidates for the roles included Ryan Gosling, Robert Pattinson, Ian Somerhalder and Emma Watson. For these high-profile stars, "their desire to do it" was probably the biggest factor, and that may have had as much to do with the perceived quality of the project as it did with its controversial content.

The novel on which the film is based began life as an independently published piece of "Twilight" fan fiction, and it has been widely criticized for the quality of its writing and plot structure. Combine that drawback with the kinky subject matter, and it seems likely that A-list stars might question whether starring in the film would be the wisest career move.

Johnson's mother, actress Melanie Griffith, however, was overjoyed at the news of her daughter's casting. "Look out world!" Griffith tweeted. "Here she comes!!!"