UPDATE: Universal just made this official. The studio release is at the bottom of the original break.

BREAKING: Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam has officially been set to play Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey, the Universal Pictures and Focus Features adaptation of the runaway bestselling book series. Hunnam, who had been rumored for weeks, more recently starred in the Guillermo Del Toro-directed Pacific Rim. Author EL James made the casting official on her Twitter page. Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing a script by Kelly Marcel and Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing along with the author.

This follows by minutes the official casting of Dakota Johnson to play the role of Anastasia Steele. Grey is the young, wealthy industrialist with a dark past who favors S&M relationships. His loyalty to the dominant-submissive subset is tested when he meets the young college graduate Anastasia Steele, who seems like the perfect girl for him.

Related: Dakota Johnson Lands ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ Role

Kelly Marcel To Write ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ For Universal And Focus

The British actor is best known for playing Jax Teller in Kurt Sutter’s Sons Of Anarchy. I met him when I moderated the Sons panel that closed Comic-Con. I found him to be a very personable and charming guy, but in Sutter’s series, Hunnam has shown the ability to summon a dark edge which will come in handy in playing the emotionally damaged Christian Grey over the course of three movies.

He is repped by CAA and Brillstein.