Instead of a film could Fifty Shades of Grey have been a television show? According to a new interview, the answer is yes.

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TV network Starz' CEO Chris Albrecht told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour on Friday, July 11 that he talked to Universal for the rights to the book series Fifty Shades of Grey. He wanted a three-season TV series where each book would be one full season.

Albrecht got into this conversation when promoting his new series Outlander, which is based on a series of books by Diana Gabaldon. Each season will approximately follow one of her novels.

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"If you read the [Outlander] book, this could only be a series," Albrecht said. "I'm the guy who called up Universal and said, 'I'll get you three years on the air as a series-let's just do a Fifty Shades of Grey series.' You don't have to worry about box office, you don't have to worry about a rating, you can tell the story the right way. ... But movie people think things should be movies, and authors think things should be movies. Because up until recently, movies have been the Tiffany jeweled crown. And certainly from what I see you people writing, that seems to be changing."

Instead Universal went the film route with stars Dakota Johnson (Anastasia Steele) and Jamie Dornan (Christian Grey). The film is expected to come out around Valentine's Day 2015.

Tags: Fifty Shades Of Grey Movies