( EW.com ) -- Universal Pictures just turned Valentine 's Day 2015 into a sure thing for millions of men . The studio is moving its release date for the movie adaptation of the erotic romance Fifty Shades of Grey out of next summer and onto Valentine 's Day weekend 2015 , turning what was sure to be a Girls Night Out event into an epic Date Night . The news , reported exclusively in this week 's EW cover story , comes on the heels of the studio 's announcement that it has pushed the start of production in Vancouver back a month to allow for the production to prep with its new leading man , Northern Irish actor Jamie Dornan , who plays kinky billionaire Christian Grey . But , Universal says , the casting change is not the primary reason for the new release date . EW : E L James launches 'Fifty Shades of Grey ' wine . More pressing is the crowded summer schedule Fifty Shades was originally competing in . Originally set to hit screens August 1 , 2014 , the film , based on the sexy best-seller by E L James , was set to go up opposite Marvel 's potential new franchise Guardians of the Galaxy starring Chris Pratt and Benicio del Toro . Internationally things are even busier , with many studios pushing their big tentpoles out of next June and July — to avoid competition from the World Cup in Brazil — and into August . `` We see this movie as a global event , '' Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley tells EW . `` The strength of this book is really worldwide , so we want to be able to take advantage of women who are invariably on vacation with their families during the month of August in Europe . '' Now the film will debut on Valentine 's Day weekend , beginning on Friday , February 13 , which also coincides with the President 's Day holiday , giving Universal the opportunity to post a big three-day number for that frame . Langley , who was instrumental in bringing the Fifty Shades franchise to the studio , adds that Universal would likely have made the change even if Charlie Hunnam , the original actor cast as Christian Grey , had not dropped out in mid-October . `` Together with the international marketing and distribution team , we 've been looking really closely at the August date and becoming more and more convinced that the right thing to do for the movie was to push it , '' Langley says . `` So even if Charlie had stayed , we still would have been making the date change . '' EW : See the full 'Fifty Shades ' coverage . The film 's new date will put it up against the adaptation of Nicholas Sparks ' The Longest Ride , which has yet to begin production or hire a cast . Who knows , maybe the fear of competing with Fifty Shades will keep it away . For more on Fifty Shades of Grey , including exclusive interviews with author E L James , director Sam Taylor-Johnson , and the full story behind the casting of Christian and Anastasia — plus which scenes from the book have made it into the script , and which have already hit the cutting-room floor — pick up this week 's issue of Entertainment Weekly , on stands Friday . See the original story at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved .
The studio is moving its release date for `` Fifty Shades of Grey '' It was originally set to hit screens August 1 , 2014 . The film 's new date will put it up against the adaptation of `` The Longest Ride ''