First Look at '50 Shades of Grey' Footage at CinemaCon

Fans haven't been able to get a peek at footage from "50 Shades of Grey" yet, but theater owners who attended CinemaCon this week got a taste of what the dynamic between Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele will look like on screen. Universal screened a five-minute teaser for attendees of the conference, and according to reports, the clip was missing most of the edge that made the best-selling book so controversial.

Universal chairman Donna Langley introduced the trailer by emphasizing how eagerly awaited the first glimpse of "50 Shades" seems to be.

"Nobody outside the studio has seen a frame of footage," she said.

But those hoping to see a shockingly erotic, kinky preview were disappointed. The clip featured brief images of a blindfold and a whip, but it was overwhelmingly focused on the glitzy romance between the innocent Anastasia and the filthy rich Christian, rather than on the twisty side of their relationship. There are scenes of helicopter rides, Grey's plush office and other romantic but mainstream interactions between the characters, but very little else.

It's not surprising that Universal would choose to market the film as a slick, pretty romance, given the controversy that surrounded the project even before it got rolling. Casting moved slowly, and some high-profile actors said publicly and explicitly that they were not interested in being involved with the film. Now that it's nearing the time for Universal to begin marketing the film to the public, they are understandably treading carefully.