Director Sam Taylor-Johnson won’t be going Fifty Shades Darker as she has announced her departure from the two Fifty Shades of Grey sequels. 

"While I will not be returning to direct the sequels, I wish nothing but success to whoever takes on the exciting challenges of films two and three.

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."

The critically panned adaptation of the book by E.L James has currently grossed $558 million worldwide; Universal Pictures wasted no time in putting the two sequels into development. James made the headlines last month when she reportedly demanded that she write the screenplay to the next movie. It would appear that she is getting her way as writer Kelly Marcel won’t be returning to pen Fifty Shades Darker.

E.L James and Taylor-Johnson had a number of on set fallouts during the production; the ongoing creative disagreements were well documented as was the unprecedented level of control that Universal gave James as part of her deal. The first-time author was granted final say over almost every aspect of the movie, from set design to dialogue it seemed that James and Taylor-Johnson agreed on very little. On balance, Sam Taylor-Johnson’s departure was to be expected as I’m sure no filmmaker wants to work with a backseat director.

Currently, Fifty Shades Darker has a tentative release date of 2017, but at the time of writing there were no potential replacements named to take over directing and Universal have yet to name a new writer officially.