'Fifty Shades of Grey' trailer teases at the good bits

Posted Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 2:46 PM Central
Last updated Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 2:46 PM Central

by John Couture

If you don't immediately recognize the names Dakota Johnson or Jamie Dornan, don't worry you soon will. These two relatively unknown actors are the leads in one of 2015's first expected blockbusters, Fifty Shades of Grey.

Universal is banking on the popularity of the wildly successful book to overcome the shortcomings in the star power department and this first tease seems to prove their gamble will pay off in a huge way. Of course, they are totally unknown. Dakota starred in that blink-and-you-missed-it comedy TV show Ben and Kate. She was blonde and the show was canceled so fast, we don't even have a record for it on our site. It's too bad, because I was a fan.

Jamie, on the other hand, had a recurring role on the second season of the successful TV series Once Upon a Time. Don't ask me though, as this is a show that I've somehow managed to miss. Thankfully.

Another thing that I've missed is reading this book, but that doesn't mean that I don't know everything about it. It was a hit with women young and old and its promiscuous undertones coupled with its... let's say non-traditional sexual encounters... spawned a ravenous fan base that helped to give birth to two sequels.

As for the film, it's opening up on Valentine's Day, but I'm not so sure it will bring in the couples business if it sticks to the book. Of course, V-Day is also the one day of the year that some men are willing to capitulate and be seen at a "chick flick," so maybe the risky (or risqué) move will pay off for Universal.

What I do know is that Monday night while I was watching American Ninja Warrior, I saw a commercial advertising today's trailer reveal. I don't recall any other film getting that sort of treatment in prime time before, so I'm betting that this film will be gigantic.