Even as it was stomping it's way towards a $558.6 million pay day at the world wide box office, and critical panning, something was rotten in the state of Fifty Shades of Grey, with word reaching us that director Sam Taylor-Johnson clashed with the original novel's author E.L. James during production on the movie. For an author, James had unprecedented creative control over the production, and apparently she wasn't too happy with Johnson and screen writer Kelly Marcel's attempts to veer away from the source material. With the author demanding even more control over the sequel, Fifty Shades Darker, including writing the script, rumours were swirling that Johnson would not be returning, and it turns out they were true, with the director revealing she is officially off the project.
Johnson's very diplomatic official statement comes through Deadline, where she says:
"Directing Fifty Shades Of Grey has been an intense and incredible journey for which I am hugely grateful. I have Universal to thank for that. I forged close and lasting relationships with the cast, producers and crew and most especially, with Dakota and Jamie. While I will not be returning to direct the sequels, I wish nothing but success to whosoever takes on the exciting challenges of films two and three."
There is no word yet on who will take the replace Johnson at the helm for the sequel, which has both Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson returning, but I envision a very bumpy road getting it to the big screen. Universal may be put in a corner where, after their experience of the first movie, a director who agrees with James' vision, and, just speaking personally, it might be hard to find someone who will willingly give up control to an author of three not very well written books, no matter how successful they are.
