EL James Praises Fifty Shades Of Grey Director

Fifty Shades Of Grey author EL James has spoken out in praise of Sam Taylor-Johnson - the woman charged with the task of bringing the best-selling S&M book to the big screen.

Speaking to Vulture at the Comic Con event in San Diego, the author played down her own role in the selection of a director for the film.

"Actually, it's not just me! Everybody keeps asking, 'Why did you decide?' It wasn't just me! There's a huge friggin' studio behind this.

"That's the wonderful thing about doing it this way, is you compile a team who really know what they're doing, who are incredibly talented, and you listen to what they have to say."

But she admitted she had been impressed by Taylor-Johnson's previous movies.

"I saw both of her films, and I was blown away. Simple. She's creative, incredibly talented, she's got an extraordinary eye. She had a good idea about the whole Fifty experience, she understands it.

"And I thought, 'There's a woman I can go and get drunk with' [laughs]."

No casting details have yet been revealed for the movie, which is set to be released in US cinemas on 1 August next year.