Actor Jamie Dornan is the latest in a long line of rumored successors to the role of Christian Grey after Charlie Hunnam walked away from the adaptation of author EL James' erotic trilogy. The Irish The Fall actor's name has surfaced to the top of the pile since Hunnam's departure after it was reported that he went for the role the first time round but lost out to the better-known Sons of Anarchy star.

Jamie Dornan
Jamie's Looking A Strong Contender For The '50 Shades' Role.

Hunnam blamed his necessary departure on an "immersive schedule" and explained that he wouldn't have time to properly prepare for the role as a result. This left the studios scrambling and 50 Shades fans wondering who the new face of the Christian Grey would be in the sexually-charged fiction.

Speculation has since arisen that Hunnam's departure could have had something to do with the 90K strong petition launched to have him removed from the role, or otherwise could have been a result of not wanting the publicity that would undoubtedly accompany such a notorious adaptation.

Jamie Dornan Moment Is Waiting
Rumour Has It, The Irish Actor Went For The Role The First Time Round.

Keira Knightley's ex-boyfriend Dornan, 31, is known for his role in Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette film as well as having worked as a Calvin Klein model. His name is the strongest to have emerged yet in a line of actors supposedly set to play Grey that includes Matt Bomer, Ian Somerhalder, Alexander Skarsgard, Alex Pettyfer and Ryan Gosling.

Charlie Hunnam
Charlie Hunnam Blamed His Departure On A Busy Schedule.

The Hollywood Reporter also mentions that British actor Christian Cooke is another name that looks prominent at the moment as well as Golden Boy actor Theo James.

The movie potentially suffered another tremor this week after rumors emerged that after Hunnam's departure, leading actress Dakota Johnson may have also had a touch of the cold feet and is considering an exit herself.

Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson Could Be Feeling Nervous About Her Role.

Time is running out for director Sam Taylor-Johnson and her team to finally firm up the casting as filming is scheduled to begin in November with a pencilled August 2014 release date. Although the movie's not likely to be heavy on CGI, stunts or prosthetics, the ten months that the 50 Shades filmmakers have left will soon be frittered away if the casting process continues to stall.

Who would be your Christian Grey?

Who would be your Christian Grey