Just getting hotter! Universal Pictures announced details about the upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey sequel this week, and the first promo for Fifty Shades Darker is already here!
Jamie Dornan reprises his role as Christian Grey in the sexy shot. He is featured solo in a black-and-white take. The Irish hunk, 32, dons a tuxedo with a bow tie in the image, adding a particularly Grey-esque touch with a black eye mask.
Dornan will return as the kinky billionaire businessman in the upcoming sequel, which is teased in a debut preview on the Fifty Shades of Grey Digital HD releasing May 1. An adaptation of author E L James‘ 2012 book by the same name, Fifty Shades Darker will also star Dakota Johnson once more in the lead female role of Anastasia Steele.
The two saw great commercial success and mixed critical reactions from this past February’s Fifty Shades of Grey. While the erotic flick was widely met with negative reviews — with critics particularly pinpointing Dornan’s performance — it brought in $165.99 million stateside and even more abroad for a worldwide gross of $568.8 million.
Universal Pictures announced on Thursday, April 23, that Fifty Shades Darker will hit theaters on Feb. 10, 2017. The movie studio also already has plans for the third Fifty Shades installment, as Fifty Shades Freed is hyped to arrive on Feb. 9, 2018. Johnson, 25, is currently filming How to Be Single in New York City, as work has yet to begin on either film.
While the movie’s stars are returning for the second and third installments, new blood was brought in to write the sequel’s script. Kelly Marcel has been replaced by James’ husband Niall Leonard as screenwriter, and director Sam Taylor-Johnson announced last month that she was stepping down from her post after reportedly clashing with James.