Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson will not direct the movie’s planned two sequels.
Sam Taylor-Johnson said she was “hugely grateful” to have been chosen to adapt E.L. James’s 2011 best-seller.
She then wished “nothing but success to whosoever takes on the exciting challenges of films two and three”.
Fifty Shades or Grey, about a businessman who begins an affair with a young student, has made almost $560 million at the worldwide box office.
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E.L. James’s trilogy of Fifty Shades books have reportedly sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 50 languages.
Relations between Sam Taylor-Johnson and the author were said to be strained during its production, prompting speculation the artist-turned-director would not return to continue or complete the film trilogy.
“We battled all the way through,” Sam Taylor-Johnson told Vanity Fair magazine.
“She’d say the same. There were tough times and revelatory times. There were sparring contests. It was definitely not an easy process.”
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson are expected to return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in the next film, scheduled for release in 2017.
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Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson will take on the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, respectively, in the anticipated big-screen adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey novel.
The news was tweeted by novel author E.L. James on Monday morning: “Good moaning all. Hold on to your hats…”
Dakota Johnson, 23, previously appeared in The Social Network – in which she shared a love scene with Justin Timberlake – and had small roles in 21 Jump Street, The Five-Year Engagement and Beastly.
Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson will take on the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, respectively, in the anticipated big-screen adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey novel
She is the daughter of Don Johnson, best known for TV shows Miami Vice and Nash Bridges, and his actress ex-wife Melanie Griffith.
It’s thought producers cast Dakota Johnson because they wanted a young, up-and-coming actress to play the role of Anastasia Steele.
Charlie Hunnam, who is 33 years old and British, stars in the dark biker thriller Sons Of Anarchy as Jackson “Jax” Teller and also appeared in Guillermo del Toro’s robot epic Pacific Rim.
The castings close waves of rumors about who would take on the roles – Emma Watson, Imogen Poots, Armie Hammer and Ian Somerhalder, among many others, were at one time tied to a main role on the film.
The film will be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy), based off the adapted script by Kelly Marcel (Terra Nova).
Fifty Shades Of Grey is currently slated for release in August 2014.
Emma Watson has ruled out of playing the role of Anastasia Steele in the film version of Fifty Shades of Grey.
Emma Watson, 22, told her fans on Twitter that the rumors of her starring in the movie adaptation of E. L. James’ best-selling novel are entirely untrue.
The actress tweeted on Sunday: “Who here actually thinks I would do 50 Shades of Grey as a movie? Like really. For real. In real life.”
Emma Watson later posted: “Good. Well that’s that sorted then.”
The role of Anastasia Steele would indeed be a departure from Emma Watson’s previous movies.
Emma Watson, who found fame as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise, has been trying to shed her good girl image of late.
Emma Watson has ruled out of playing the role of Anastasia Steele in the film version of Fifty Shades of Grey
Emma Watson isn’t the only name to have been linked to the role of Anastasia Steele in the highly-anticipated film.
Mila Kunis, Kristen Stewart and Nina Dobrev are among other stars whose names have been suggested for the part.
Keira Knightley was also linked to 50 Shades but she was unenthusiastic about taking on the raunchy role.
When asked if her next project will be a more risqué literary adaptation than she has done in the past, Keira Knightley replied: “No, it’s not. It’s not going to be Fifty Shades of Grey.
“You know, I normally don’t like to give a definite about anything, but I can definitely say it will not be Fifty Shades of Grey.”
Meanwhile, when it comes to who will be taking on the title role of Christian Grey, stars including Ryan Gosling and Zac Efron have been rumored.
But one of the favorites to take on the part is Ian Somerhalder.
Speaking recently about whether or not he would want to star in the film, Ian Somerhalder replied: “There are so many young boys up for this role. I think they have a very big job ahead of them, casting this role…
“So, I can’t say anything other than, it’s a very interesting story and whoever plays that role is going to have a lot of fun rehearsal time!”
