As you're likely well-aware by now, Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James is a HUGE Twi-Hard. It was after she read Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series that she was inspired to write her own fan fiction -- originally called Master of the Universe -- based on the Twilight characters and originally given the same names. Once the story morphed into Fifty, she changed the title, names, and some other details, too. For that reason, there's been recent speculation that there could be copyright issues once the first novel makes it way to the big screen.
Agh! Say it isn't so! Could one of the most anticipated flicks of this decade really be in danger due to a sticky legal question?
Long story short -- those of us who are greatly anticipating the softcore porn sexy adaptation can breathe a sigh of relief, because legal experts say there shouldn't be a problem. If there was going to be, it would have happened already with the books!
I'm just not seeing how anyone could think James' story -- in novel and/or film form -- could be seen as too similar to Twilight for it to stand on its own. Also, does no one recall that there have been many books written and films made that are based on or inspired by another original work? Like how Clueless is Amy Heckerling's take on Jane Austen's Emma? And Bridget Jones' Diary is Pride & Prejudice? When you think in terms of such "re-imagined" stories, Fifty Shades of Grey is even more different from Twilight than you might think.
In many ways, it's like 180 degrees from Meyer's abstinence-lovin' books, as it's basically an antidote for sex-starved fans of Twilight! Heck, sex-starved people period! James' amateur-ish writing may be a pain in the butt to get through at times, but with the BDSM-flavored concept, she hit the nail on the head. There hasn't been anything in the zeitgeist this steamy for a long time. We were due for it. So fingers crossed it makes its way to the silver screen with nary a legal squeak.
Do you think Fifty Shades of Grey is too similar to Twilight?
Image via Summit Entertainment
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Comments 40
I've just finished 50 shades and up until now i never noticed the similarities. But thinking back the characters are comparable and not just in apperance. And although i do agree with some comments that it isn't the best written book, i do think that EL James deserves some credit for her work. She may have been inspired by the twilight series but so what?! i like the quote above that says about other books ibeing written from inspiration by previous... isn't that the whole point of writing? to offer inspiration?! I think that if i was stephanie meyer i'd be flattered that my writing has made someone put pen to paper or fingers to keys. EL James has brought a book/series to the table to get the nations talking, reviewing and genrally reading!! this is a good thing.
The fact that it was originally a Twilight fan-fic was enough to make me steer clear of it. And then when the book was being publicly mocked on Twitter, Tumblr, etc.....reading some of that shit writing made me laugh and also made me glad I never got suckered into the hype.
The way I see it, though, in regards to the plagarism thing.....she changed the names and some things, so there is nothing technically that can be done about copyright issues. As for the plagarism test, it is comparing the original draft of her story and the rewritten one. Of course they're going to be almost identical. As long as the names are changed and some small changes are made, it would then be considered hers.
I just want to stop hearing about BOTH Twilight and 50 shades! Swear to God this site should rename itself 50 Shades of Stupid since that's ALL you guys seem to be able to talk about. You know, maybe you guys could, I don't know, do a little research and write an article that has something to do with the REAL WORLD?!?! I would like to come to this site just for one day and NOT find 5 new articles about this stupid book! And, no, I haven't read it. I was intrigued when I first heard about it but now, I'm SO OVER IT and I'm not even the slightest bit interested anymore.
OMG please kill the 50 shades of crap topic - please.
i agree nancy
Ana is not Bella just because she's brunette and pale she has a lot more about her than Bella and unlike how Bella begs to be a vampire Ana does not give into being a submissive she's more stubborn and that's why Christian likes her because she challenges him. I don't remember Bella being as ambitious as Ana. Bella's dad did not die when she was a baby. Bella does not have an interfering but caring friend like Kate as Ana does. There's a lot more but I'll leave it there...
To be honest, I didn't know much about Fifty other than the fact that every woman on earth was reading it. I got half way through the first book and totally thought a man had written it. I really couldn't care less if the movie is made or not. I'm now in the middle of the third book and am loving it, except for the every other page sex--don't get me wrong, I love a good romance novel, but not if that's bigger than the plot. Great story, but could have been written in one book!
I'm a big "Twi-Hard", and I've read (and written) some fan-fiction, just not MOTU; I also have not read 50 Shades.
I don't think that a fan-fic writer should publish and make money off of, what is basically, someone else's idea. I still can't believe that she found a publisher for the story, knowing its origin. I read somewhere recently that James makes over $1M per week right now. Seriously? That just seems wrong. The book wouldn't get nearly the media recognition (and, as a result, the sales) if not for it being fan-fic first.
Besides, I would say that, if any story had made the jump from fan-fic to marketable fiction, it should have been Wide Awake.