Casting Christian Grey and Ana Steele is closer than ever now that “Fifty Shades of Grey” has a screenwriter and producers.

Kelly Marcel will be writing the screenplay and Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti will be producing the film along with author E.L. James, Universal Pictures Co-Chairman Donna Langley and Focus Features Chief Executive Officer James Schamus announced Monday.

James sent out a tweet to let her fans know where they can find the news as fast as possible. The announcement was posted on the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie Facebook page.

The author has been hounded by fans consumed with finding out who will be cast as their beloved characters. She has reminded them that they are nowhere near casting since essential people like the director and the producer have not yet been hired -- until now.

Marcel is responsible for writing, "Saving Mr. Banks," the story of Walt Disney’s pursuing the film rights to author P.L. Travers’ novel, “Mary Poppins,” for 20 years and the intense relationship that thusly formed between them. It’s currently being produced and is starring Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson and Colin Farrell with John Lee Hancock directing.

Marcel is also credited with being the co-creator and executive producer of the Amblin/FOX-TV series “Terra Nova” and is also producing “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.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is a love story about the relationship between 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and 22-year-old college student Anastasia Steele. “Fifty Shades Darker” (September 2011) and “Fifty Shades Freed” (January 2012) focus more on the couple’s intimate relationship whereas the first mostly explores the couple’s sexual intimacies.

Fans have been frantically checking the web to see if news has broken of who will play Christian Grey or Anastasia Steele.

Many would like to see Ryan Gosling play Christian Grey, but author Bret Eastin Ellis, who was originally supposed to be the screenwriter for the “Fifty Shades” movie, said the project has a modest budget and will not be able to afford a high-profile actor like Gosling.

He also added, via Twitter, that Ana Steele will be played by a relatively unknown actress.

Since “Fifty Shades” was based on “Twilight” fan-fiction, many are hoping that screen vampires like Robert Pattinson, Ian Somerhalder or Alexander Skarsgård will be chosen to play Grey.

For constant updates on the movie, check out the “Fifty Shades of Grey” Facebook page here.

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