14 DAY TRIAL // Universal Pictures is yet to officially greenlight the sequel to this year’s big hit “Fifty Shades of Grey,” “Fifty Shades Darker,” but that doesn’t mean that it’s not happening. Negotiations have stalled because E.L. James, who penned the series of novels on which the film franchise is based, wanted more control over the way her material was brought to the big screen.
She wanted to achieve that by getting more than just a producing credit, like she got on the first film: she also wanted to write the script. This posed a serious issue for the studio, since her lack of experience in screenwriting (not that she’s too brilliant at writing novels either) could push back production for much too long.
A compromise has been reached, The Hollywood Reporter says: E.L. James got her husband for the job. Unlike her, Niall Leonard is actually an experienced screenwriter (“Air Force One Is Down” and “Wire in the Blood”) and an author as well (“Crusher”). He also contributed to the first “Grey” film’s script, but was not credited, the trade publication says.
“Niall is an outstanding writer in his own right, with multiple established credits, and we are lucky to have him join Team Fifty,” producer Michael De Luca confirms.
Leonard might be good at his job, but if he’s only on board to do his wife’s bidding, that could become a problem. Sam Taylor-Johnson, who directed the first film (and did a good job at it, all things considered), left the franchise because James couldn’t stop meddling in her work, wanting the film to be a faithful replica of the book.
With Taylor-Johnson out of the way, if Leonard writes the script James so desperately wants, “Fifty Shades Darker” is bound for an even worse critical reception that its predecessor.