AceShowbiz -

The much-anticipated "Fifty Shades of Grey" officially gets its release date. Focus Features has recently announced that the movie version of the same-title R-rated novel is scheduled to be up opposite Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy", which stars Chris Pratt, Benicio del Toro and Zoe Saldana.

"Fifty Shades" will be unleashed into North American theaters on August 1, 2014. Universal Pictures International, which takes charge of the international distribution of the romance flick, has not set the global release date yet. Last week, author E. L. James confirmed that "Nowhere Boy" helmer Sam Taylor-Johnson would handle the project.

The film, which revolves around S&M relationship between college student Anastasia Steele and wealthy businessman Christian Grey, has not landed any lead cast yet. Latest rumors say that Robert Pattinson is in the running for it after caught partying with British author James, who's recently been named the most powerful author in the world by Forbes.

"Terra Nova" scribe Kelly Marcel is set to provide screenplay for Taylor-Johnson, whose husband is "Kick-Ass" actor Aaron Johnson. James, Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti will join forces to produce the big-screen adaptation of the 2011 novel.