50 Shades of Grey Movie Cast: James Marsden Surges as Frontrunner to Play Christian Grey

Actor, singer and former Versace model James Marsden, known for his role as the superhero Cyclops in the first three X-Men movies, is surging as a strong contender to be cast as Christian Grey in the upcoming film version of E.L. James’ erotic trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey.

Marsden, fondly remembered for playing Noah's (Ryan Gosling) rival in The Notebook, as well as for his role of Malcolm Kevin Doyle in 27 Dresses next to Katherine Heigl, is also in Will Ferrell-produced Bachelorette -- which premieres next September -- where he plays a self-described “groom douchebag” next to Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher and Lizzy Caplan.   

Though initially disregarded as "too much of a nice guy" to play the sexually domineering business tycoon Christian Grey, Marsden certainly has the strong acting credentials to take on this new and much darker role. 

Fifty Shades of Grey, the movie, is in the works with producers from The Social Network brainstorming over who should be cast as the main characters (Christian Grey and Anastasia Steel), as well as who would write and direct the already anticipated film based in the novels of E.L. James. 

So far, Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer and others have surged as potential casts to play Christian Grey; while Emma Watson, Mila Kunis and Rooney Mara have been suggested as potential casts for Anastasia Grey, the innocent but curious young student who consents to a fetish-slave relationship with Grey.

In the meantime, the wildly popular trilogy of books and much anticipated films have already unleashed a marketing tsunami that includes clothing, music, and even condoms.