Fifty more shades in two more years

The first film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey has taken in millions at the global box office – and even managed to please critics – so it's no surprise that Universal Pictures is banking on the next novels in EL James's trilogy to become future hits. The studio has announced that Fifty Shades Darker, the second film in the series, will be released on 10 February 2017, and Fifty Shades Freed, the final film in the trilogy, will appear on 9 February 2018. The dates have been chosen because of their closeness to Valentine's Day (the first film came out on February 12 or 13 depending on where you live). There are changes afoot for the new instalments in the series. British artist-turned-director Sam Taylor-Johnson, who directed the first film, has already said that she won't be returning to helm the sequels. There were reports that she clashed with the book's author, EL James, during production. A new director is yet to be hired, but I hope it's not David Moyes because he'd ruin the rest of the trilogy like he did Manchester United. However, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are set to reprise their roles as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, though the pair are reportedly negotiating for more money after the huge financial success of the first film. Production is likely to start in the first quarter of 2016.