Fifty Shades of Grey (film) James' husband, Niall Leonard, was enlisted to write the script for the film's sequel. In the same month, at the 2015 Universal CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Universal announced the release dates of the sequels, with "Fifty Shades Darker" being released on February 10, 2017, and "Fifty Shades Freed" was released on February 9, 2018. However, the sequels did not see Sam Taylor-Johnson returning as director. On August 20, 2015, the U.S. "House of Cards" director James Foley was a frontrunner to direct the sequel. In November 2015, Universal Studios announced that both films will be shot back-to-back. A spoof version
Fifty Shades Darker (film) the first to be released in 2016. Right after the announcement, the director told "Digital Spy" that "it's not my decision, and I haven't been privy to any of the discussions." On March 25, 2015, Taylor-Johnson officially left the franchise. On April 2, 2015, "Deadline" confirmed that De Luca had left Sony Pictures to return to Universal to produce the "Fifty Shades" sequels. On April 22, 2015, it was announced that E. L. James' husband, Niall Leonard, would write the script for the sequel. In April 2015, Universal Pictures chair Donna Langley told "The Hollywood Reporter" that the second installment