'Fifty Shades of Grey' Production Delayed

It seemed almost impossible, after all the delays and setbacks in casting its male lead, that the "Fifty Shades of Grey" production would be able to stay on schedule, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, the start of shooting on the project has officially been delayed by about a month.

The film was due to go into production around the beginning of November, but now shooting won't start until December 2. The original schedule was put into jeopardy by the drawn-out process of casting the lead roles. Eventually, Dakota Johnson was picked to play the female lead, Anastasia Steele, and Charlie Hunnam ("Sons of Anarchy") was chosen to portray the male lead, Christian Grey; by the time, Johnson and Hunnam was chosen, the schedule was already tight, but it got even tighter when Hunnam dropped out of the project a few weeks ago.

The search for Hunnam's replacement concluded at the end of last week, when Jamie Dornan ("Once Upon a Time") was picked to play Grey. The late resolution to the casting dilemma gave Dornan only a couple of weeks to prepare before the proposed beginning of shooting, so the delay gives him some breathing room in which to get ready for what is likely to be a demanding role.

The scheduled release date for the film is August 1, 2014, but that date might also be pushed back because of the production delay.