Fifty Shades of Grey
2011 erotic romance novel by E.L. James
Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It became the first instalment in the "Fifty Shades" novel series that follows the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey. It contains explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving BDSM (bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism).
Originally self-published as an ebook and print-on-demand in June 2011, the publishing rights to "Fifty Shades of Grey" were acquired by Vintage Books in March 2012, topping best-seller lists around the world. It has been translated into 52 languages and set a record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time in the United Kingdom. Critical reception of the book, however, has tended towards the negative, with the quality of its prose generally seen as poor, while its portrayal of BDSM has been a target for criticism from a variety of perspectives. Universal Pictures and Focus Features produced an American film adaptation, which was released on 13 February 2015, and was also panned upon release, though it was a box office success.
The second and third volumes of the original trilogy, "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed", were published in 2012. The trilogy had sold over 150 million copies worldwide by October 2017. A version of the novel from Christian's point of view, ', was published in June 2015 as the fourth book, followed by ' in November 2017 and "" in June 2021.
Plot.
21-year-old Anastasia "Ana" Steele is an English literature major at the Washington State University's branch campus in Vancouver, Washington. Her best friend, Katherine "Kate" Kavanagh, writes for the college newspaper. Due to an illness, Kate cannot interview Christian Grey, a wealthy Seattle entrepreneur. Taking Kate's place, Ana finds the 27-year-old Christian both attractive and intimidating. She stumbles through the interview and believes it went poorly. Ana, not expecting to meet Christian again, is surprised when he appears at the hardware store where she works and purchases various items. When Ana mentions that Kate would like a photo for her article, Christian offers to arrange a photo session.
The next day Ana, along with Kate and their photographer friend, José Rodriguez, arrive at Christian's hotel for the photo shoot. Later, Christian asks Ana out for coffee. When he asks if she is dating someone, Ana replies that she is single. After claiming he is not romantic, Christian abruptly ends the date, leaving Ana to believe she is not attractive enough for him. Later, Christian sends Ana a first edition copy of "Tess of the d'Urbervilles". That night, Ana goes out with her friends and ends up drunk dialing Christian, who says he is coming to pick her up. When Ana goes outside for some fresh air, José attempts to kiss her but is stopped by Christian's arrival. Ana leaves with Christian, but not before she discovers that Kate has been flirting with Christian's brother, Elliot. Ana awakens to find herself in Christian's hotel room. He assures her nothing happened but scolds her for her careless behavior. Christian wants to have a sexual relationship with Ana, but she must first fill out some paperwork. He later goes back on this statement to make out with her in the elevator.
Christian flies Ana to Seattle in his helicopter. At his penthouse, Christian makes Ana sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) regarding their time together. He also mentions other paperwork, but first takes her to his playroom filled with BDSM objects and gear. Christian informs her that the second contract will be about dominance and submission, and there will be no romantic relationship, only a sexual one. The contract even forbids Ana from touching Christian or making eye contact with him. At this point, Christian realises that Ana is a virgin. Not wanting her first sexual experience to be a BDSM experience, he has conventional sex with her and sleeps in her bed. The following morning, Christian's adoptive mother Grace arrives and is surprised to meet Ana, having never seen her son with a woman. Christian lost his virginity at age 15 to one of his mother's friends, Elena Lincoln, and his previous BDSM relationships failed due to incompatibility. In his first BDSM relationship, he was the submissive. Christian and Ana plan to meet again, and he takes Ana home, where she discovers several job offers.
Over the next few days, Ana receives many packages from Christian. This includes a laptop to replace her broken one and research the BDSM lifestyle in consideration of the contract, which they discuss. Ana becomes overwhelmed by the potential BDSM arrangement and having a non-romantic sexual relationship. Ana leaves and does not see Christian again until her college graduation, where he is the keynote speaker. During this time, Ana agrees to sign the contract. She and Christian meet to discuss it and go over Ana's hard and soft limits. Christian spanks Ana for the first time, and the experience leaves her both enticed and slightly confused. This confusion is exacerbated by Christian's lavish gifts, and the fact that he brings her to meet his family. The two continue with the arrangement without Ana having yet signed the contract. After landing a job with Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP), Ana further bristles under the NDA's restrictions and her complex relationship with Christian. The tension between Ana and Christian comes to a head after Ana asks Christian to punish her in order to show her how extreme a BDSM relationship could be. Christian complies, beating her with a belt. Realizing they are incompatible, a devastated Ana breaks up with Christian and returns to the apartment she shares with Kate.
Background and publication.
The "Fifty Shades" trilogy was developed from a "Twilight" fan fiction series originally titled "Master of the Universe" and published by James episodically on fan fiction websites under the pen name "Snowqueen Icedragon". The piece featured characters named after "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer's characters in "Twilight", Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. After comments concerning the sexual nature of the material, James removed the story and published it on her own website, FiftyShades.com. Later she rewrote "Master of the Universe" as an original piece, with the principal characters renamed Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, and removed it from her website before publication. Meyer commented on the series, saying "that's really not my genre, not my thing... Good on her – she's doing well. That's great!"
This reworked and extended version of "Master of the Universe" was split into three parts. The first, titled "Fifty Shades of Grey", was released as an e-book and a print on demand paperback in May 2011 by The Writers' Coffee Shop, a virtual publisher based in Australia. The second volume, "Fifty Shades Darker", was released in September 2011; and the third, "Fifty Shades Freed", followed in January 2012. The Writers' Coffee Shop had a restricted marketing budget and relied largely on book blogs for early publicity, but sales of the novel were boosted by word-of-mouth recommendation. The book's erotic nature and perceived demographic of its fan base as being composed largely of married women over thirty led to the book being dubbed "Mommy Porn" by some news agencies. The book has also reportedly been popular among teenage girls and college women. By the release of the final volume in January 2012, news networks in the United States had begun to report on the "Fifty Shades" trilogy as an example of viral marketing and of the rise in popularity of female erotica, attributing its success to the discreet nature of e-reading devices. Due to the heightened interest in the series, the license to the "Fifty Shades" trilogy was picked up by Vintage Books for re-release in a new and revised edition in April 2012. The attention that the series has garnered has also helped to spark a renewed interest in erotic literature. Many other erotic works quickly became best-sellers following "Fifty Shades"' success, while other popular works, such as Anne Rice's "The Sleeping Beauty" trilogy, have been reissued (this time without pseudonyms) to meet the higher demand.
On 1 August 2012, Amazon UK announced that it had sold more copies of "Fifty Shades of Grey" than it had any individual book in the "Harry Potter" series, although worldwide, at that time, the "Harry Potter" series had sold more than 450 million copies, compared with "Fifty Shades of Grey"'s sales of 60 million copies.
Reception.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" has topped best-seller lists around the world, including those of the United Kingdom and the United States. The series had sold over 125 million copies worldwide by June 2015, while by October 2017 it had sold more than 150 million copies worldwide. The series has been translated into 52 languages, and set a record in the United Kingdom as the fastest-selling paperback of all time.
Critical response.
It has received mixed to negative reviews, as most critics noted the poor literary qualities of the work. Salman Rushdie said about the book: "I've never read anything so badly written that got published. It made "Twilight" look like "War and Peace"." Maureen Dowd described the book in "The New York Times" as being written "like a Brontë devoid of talent", and said it was "dull and poorly written". Jesse Kornbluth of "The Huffington Post" said: "As a reading experience, "Fifty Shades" ... is a sad joke, puny of plot".
Princeton professor April Alliston wrote, "Though no literary masterpiece, "Fifty Shades" is more than parasitic fan fiction based on the recent "Twilight" vampire series." "Entertainment Weekly" writer Lisa Schwarzbaum gave the book a "B+" rating and praised it for being "in a class by itself". British author Jenny Colgan in "The Guardian" wrote "It is jolly, eminently readable and as sweet and safe as BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) erotica can be without contravening the trade descriptions act" and also praised the book for being "more enjoyable" than other "literary erotic books". "The Daily Telegraph" noted that the book was "the definition of a page-turner", noting that the book was both "troubling and intriguing". A reviewer for the "Ledger-Enquirer" described the book as guilty fun and escapism, and that it "also touches on one aspect of female existence [female submission]. And acknowledging that fact – maybe even appreciating it – shouldn't be a cause for guilt." "The New Zealand Herald" stated that the book "will win no prizes for its prose" and that "there are some exceedingly awful descriptions," although it was also an easy read; "(If you only) can suspend your disbelief and your desire to – if you'll pardon the expression – slap the heroine for having so little self respect, you might enjoy it." "The Columbus Dispatch" stated that, "Despite the clunky prose, James does cause one to turn the page." "Metro News Canada" wrote that "suffering through 500 pages of this heroine's inner dialogue was torturous, and not in the intended, sexy kind of way". Jessica Reaves, of the "Chicago Tribune", wrote that the "book's source material isn't great literature", noting that the novel is "sprinkled liberally and repeatedly with asinine phrases", and described it as "depressing".
The book garnered some accolades. In December 2012, it won both "Popular Fiction" and "Book of the Year" categories in the UK National Book Awards. In that same month, "Publishers Weekly" named E. L. James the 'Publishing Person of the Year', a decision whose criticism in the "Los Angeles Times" and the "New York Daily News" was referred to by and summarised in "The Christian Science Monitor". Earlier, in April 2012, when E. L. James was listed as one of "Time" magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World", Richard Lawson of "The Atlantic Wire" criticised her inclusion due to the trilogy's fan fiction beginnings.
Controversy.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" has attracted criticism due to its depictions of BDSM, with many BDSM participants stating that the book confuses the practice with "abuse", and presents it as a pathology to be overcome, as well as showing incorrect and possibly dangerous BDSM techniques.
Coinciding with the release of the book and its surprising popularity, injuries related to BDSM and sex toy use spiked dramatically. In the year after the novel's publishing in 2012, injuries requiring Emergency Room visits increased by over 50% from 2010 (the year before the book was published). This is speculated to be due to people unfamiliar with both the proper use of these toys and the safe practice of bondage and other "kinky" sexual fetishes in attempting to recreate what they had read.
There has also been criticism against the fact that BDSM is a part of the book. Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati said in an early February 2015 letter, "The story line is presented as a romance; however, the underlying theme is that bondage, dominance, and sadomasochism are normal and pleasurable." The feminist anti-pornography organization Stop Porn Culture called for a boycott of the movie based on the book because of its sex scenes involving bondage and violence. By contrast, Timothy Laurie and Jessica Kean argue that "film fleshes out an otherwise legalistic concept like 'consent' into a living, breathing, and at times, uncomfortable interpersonal experience," and "dramatises the dangers of unequal negotiation and the practical complexity of identifying one's limits and having them respected."
Several critics and scientists have expressed concern that the nature of the main couple's relationship is not BDSM at all, but rather is characteristic of an abusive relationship. In 2013, social scientist Professor Amy E. Bonomi published a study wherein multiple professionals read and assessed the books for characteristics of intimate partner violence, or IPV, using the CDC's standards for emotional abuse and sexual violence. The study found that nearly every interaction between Ana and Christian was emotionally abusive in nature, including stalking, intimidation, and isolation. The study group also observed pervasive sexual violence within the CDC's definition, including Christian's use of alcohol to circumvent Ana's ability to consent, and that Ana exhibits classic signs of an abused woman, including constant perceived threat, stressful managing, and altered identity.
A second study in 2014 was conducted to examine the health of women who had read the series, compared with a control group that had never read any part of the novels. The results showed a correlation between having read at least the first book and exhibiting signs of an eating disorder, having romantic partners that were emotionally abusive and/or engaged in stalking behavior, engaging in binge drinking in the last month, and having 5 or more sexual partners before age 24. The authors could not conclude whether women already experiencing these "problems" were drawn to the series, or if the series influenced these behaviors to occur after reading by creating underlying context. The study's lead researcher contends that the books romanticize dangerous behavior and "perpetuate dangerous abuse standards." The study was limited in that only women up to age 24 were studied, and no distinction was made among the reader sample between women who enjoyed the series and those that had a strong negative opinion of it, having only read it out of curiosity due to the media hype or other obligation.
At the beginning of the media hype, Dr. Drew and sexologist Logan Levkoff discussed on "The Today Show" whether the book perpetuated violence against women; Levkoff said that while that is an important subject, this trilogy had nothing to do with it – this was a book about a consensual relationship. Dr. Drew commented that the book was "horribly written" in addition to being "disturbing" but stated that "if the book enhances women's real-life sex lives and intimacy, so be it."
Censorship.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" has often been challenged, banned, and removed in the United States. The book landed on the American Library Association's Top 10 List of Banned and Challenged Books in 2012 (4), 2013 (4), and 2015 (2) because it is sexually explicit and unsuited for the age group; has nudity and offensive language; and for religious viewpoints. Challengers also stated the book was "poorly written", and they were concerned "a group of teenagers will want to try [BDSM]." Ultimately, the book became the eighth-most banned book between 2010 and 2019.
In March 2012, branches of the public library in Brevard County, Florida, removed copies of "Fifty Shades of Grey" from their shelves, with an official statement that it did not meet the selection criteria for the library and that reviews for the book had been poor. A representative for the library stated that it was due to the book's sexual content and that other libraries had declined to purchase copies for their branches. Deborah Caldwell-Stone of the American Library Association commented that "If the only reason you don't select a book is that you disapprove of its content, but there is demand for it, there's a question of whether you're being fair. In a public library there is usually very little that would prevent a book from being on the shelf if there is a demand for the information." Brevard County public libraries later made their copies available to their patrons due to public demand.
In Macaé, Brazil, Judge Raphael Queiroz Campos ruled in January 2013 that bookstores throughout the city must either remove the series entirely from their shelves or ensure that the books are wrapped and placed out of the reach of minors. The judge stated that he was prompted to make such an order after seeing children reading them, basing his decision on a law stating that "magazines and publications whose content is improper or inadequate for children and adolescents can only be sold if sealed and with warnings regarding their content".
In February 2015, the Malaysian Home Ministry banned the "Fifty Shades of Grey" books shortly after banning its film adaptation after permitting them for three years in local bookstores, citing morality-related reasons.
Media.
Film adaptation.
A film adaptation of the book was produced by Focus Features, Michael De Luca Productions, and Trigger Street Productions, with Universal Pictures and Focus Features securing the rights to the trilogy in March 2012. Universal is also the film's distributor. Charlie Hunnam was originally cast in the role of Christian Grey alongside Dakota Johnson in the role of Anastasia Steele, but Hunnam gave up the part in October 2013, with Jamie Dornan announced for the role on 23 October.
The film was released on 13 February 2015, and although popular at the box office, critical reactions were mixed to negative.
Film soundtrack.
E. L. James announced the film's soundtrack would be released on 10 February 2015. Prior to the soundtrack's release, the first single, "Earned It", by The Weeknd, was released on 24 December 2014. On 7 January 2015, the second single, "Love Me like You Do" by Ellie Goulding was released. Australian singer Sia released the soundtrack's third single, "Salted Wound", on 27 January 2015.
Classical album.
An album of songs selected by E. L. James was released on 11 September 2012 by EMI Classics under the title "Fifty Shades of Grey: The Classical Album", and reached number four on the US "Billboard" classical music albums chart in October 2012. A "Seattle P-I" reviewer favourably wrote that the album would appeal both to fans of the series and to "those who have no intention of reading any of the Grey Shades".
Parodies.
The "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy has inspired many parodies in print, in film, online, and on stage. In November 2012, Universal Studios attempted to prevent the release of "Fifty Shades of Grey: A XXX Adaptation", a pornographic film based on the novel, citing copyright and trademark infringement. Smash Pictures, the porn producer, later responded to the lawsuit with a counterclaim that "much or all" of the "Fifty Shades" material was placed in the public domain in its original "Twilight"-based form, but later capitulated and stopped distribution of their film.
On stage.
Stage productions include:
References.
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Fifty Shades of Grey (film)
2015 film by Sam Taylor-Johnson
Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2015 erotic romantic drama film directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson from a screenplay by Kelly Marcel. Produced by Focus Features, Michael De Luca Productions, and Trigger Street Productions, it is based on E. L. James' 2011 novel of the same name, and serves as the first installment in the "Fifty Shades" film series. Starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle and Marcia Gay Harden, the film's story follows Anastasia "Ana" Steele, a college graduate, who begins a sadomasochistic relationship with young business magnate Christian Grey.
Development of the film commenced in March 2012, when Universal and Focus Features secured the rights to the trilogy following a bidding war. After Marcel was hired to write the film's screenplay, multiple directors, including Joe Wright, Patty Jenkins, Bill Condon, Bennett Miller, and Steven Soderbergh, were attached to the film. Taylor-Johnson was confirmed as the director in June 2013. She cited "9½ Weeks" (1986), "Last Tango in Paris" (1972), and "Blue Is the Warmest Colour" (2013) as her inspirations for the film. The main cast joined the project between October and December 2013. Principal photography commenced in December 2013 and concluded in February 2014. Reshoots involving scenes between Dornan and Johnson took place in Vancouver during the week of October 2014. Danny Elfman was hired to compose the film's score.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" premiered at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival on February 11, 2015, and was released in IMAX formats on February 13, by Universal Pictures. Despite receiving generally unfavorable reviews from critics, it was an immediate box office success, breaking numerous box office records and earning $569.7 million worldwide against a budget of $40 million. The soundtrack album was also successful; "Love Me Like You Do", by English singer Ellie Goulding, was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, while "Earned It", by Canadian singer the Weeknd, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 88th Academy Awards.
The film was the most awarded at the 36th Golden Raspberry Awards, winning five of six nominations, including Worst Picture (tied with "Fantastic Four") and both leading roles. "Fifty Shades of Grey" was succeeded by two sequels: "Fifty Shades Darker", and "Fifty Shades Freed", released in 2017 and 2018, respectively, both of which received similar negative critical reception but commercial success.
Plot.
Twenty-one year old Anastasia "Ana" Steele is an English literature major at Washington State University Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington. When her roommate, Kate Kavanagh, catches a cold and is unable to interview Christian Grey, a twenty-seven year old billionaire entrepreneur for the college newspaper, Ana agrees to take Kate's place. At Christian's Seattle headquarters, she stumbles her way through the meeting. Christian, who is that year's WSU commencement speaker, takes an interest in her, and she in him. Soon after, he visits the hardware store where Ana works and offers to do a photo shoot to accompany the article she had interviewed him for.
Christian asks Ana out for coffee, but leaves abruptly after she confesses to being a romantic, saying he is not the man for her. He later sends her first edition copies of two Thomas Hardy novels, including "Tess of the d'Urbervilles", as a gift, with a quote from the latter book about the dangers of relationships on an accompanying card. Ana and her friends celebrate graduation at a local bar. After drinking too much, she calls Christian, saying she is returning the books, and berating him for his behavior towards her. He goes to the bar to find her, arriving just as her photographer friend, José Rodriquez, attempts to kiss her against her will. Ana, suddenly sick, throws up and passes out. The next morning, she wakes up in Christian's hotel room, relieved that nothing happened between them.
After the two make out in an elevator, and he takes her for a ride in his helicopter, a romance starts to develop. He insists, however, that she sign a non-disclosure agreement preventing her from revealing details about their relationship. He explains that he is a dominant who engages in sexual bondage relationships, but only as defined in a contract between the participants. Ana reveals that she is a virgin. While considering the agreement and negotiating her own terms, and after briefly visiting his "Red Room," a place stocked with a bed and a variety of whips and shackles, she and Christian spend the night together.
The next morning, after making pancakes and meeting Christian's adoptive mother, the two go for a drive, during which Christian explains that he was introduced to his dominant practices at age fifteen by a woman Ana dubs "Mrs. Robinson". His parents know nothing about this, even though "Mrs. Robinson" was and still is a friend of the family.
Christian bestows a series of gifts and favors upon Ana, including a new car and a laptop. After she and Kate move to Seattle, he insists that she go over his contract before moving forward. After looking into it in some detail, Ana initially says no, but is persuaded otherwise and finds herself willingly giving her consent.
During dinner at his parents' home, Ana suddenly mentions she is leaving the next day to visit her mother in Georgia. This makes Christian angry, especially when she says she wants more than the one-sided relationship he's proposing. She then goes to Georgia, visits a lounge for cocktails, and is shocked when Christian shows up. He meets her mother, takes her air gliding, then returns to Seattle to tend to a business emergency.
After returning home, Ana and Christian have a night in his "Red Room". She consents to what he wants, but he remains emotionally distant, upsetting her. While still considering the contract, and in an effort to understand Christian's psychology, Ana asks him to demonstrate the worst punishment he would inflict on her for rule-breaking. He whips her with his belt, making her count each stroke out loud.
Crushed, she declares her love for him, but says his behavior is unacceptable. He replies that he is too screwed up to have the relationship that she wants. Devastated and depressed, Ana leaves Christian, and he promises to send her a check for the car he sold without her consent. As he goes after her, Ana orders him to stop. Christian tries to plead with her, saying her name, and Ana cuts him off by saying his own name, turning his plea into a farewell as the elevator doors close.
Production.
Development.
By early 2012, several Hollywood studios were keen to obtain film rights to "The New York Times" bestselling "Fifty Shades" trilogy of novels. Warner Bros., Sony, Paramount, Universal, and Mark Wahlberg's production company submitted bids for the film rights. Universal Pictures and Focus Features secured the rights to the trilogy in March 2012. Author James sought to retain some control during the movie's creative process. James chose "The Social Network" producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti to produce the film.
Although "American Psycho" writer Bret Easton Ellis publicly expressed his desire to write the screenplay for "Fifty Shades of Grey", Kelly Marcel, screenwriter of "Saving Mr. Banks", was hired for the job. Patrick Marber was brought in by Taylor-Wood to polish the screenplay, specifically to do some "character work". Universal hired Mark Bomback for script doctoring. Mark Bridges served as the costume designer. "Entertainment Weekly" estimated the film's budget as "$40 million-or-so".
Direction.
By May 9, 2013, the studio was considering Joe Wright to direct, but this proved unworkable due to Wright's schedule. Other directors who had been under consideration included Patty Jenkins, Bill Condon, Bennett Miller, and Steven Soderbergh. In June 2013, E. L. James announced Sam Taylor-Johnson would direct the film adaptation. Johnson was paid over US$2 million for directing the film.
"9½ Weeks", "Last Tango in Paris", and "Blue Is the Warmest Colour" were all cited by Taylor-Johnson as inspirations for the film.
In an interview in June 2017, Taylor-Johnson cited difficulties working with author E. L. James, causing her to leave the series. She said: "I can never say I regret it because that would just finish me off. With the benefit of hindsight would I go through it again? Of course I wouldn't. I'd be mad."
Casting.
Bret Easton Ellis stated that Robert Pattinson had been James' first choice for the role of Christian Grey, but James felt that casting Pattinson and his "Twilight" co-star Kristen Stewart in the film would be "weird". Ian Somerhalder and Chace Crawford both expressed interest in the role of Christian. Somerhalder later admitted if he had been considered, the filming process would ultimately have conflicted with his shooting schedule for The CW's series "The Vampire Diaries". On September 2, 2013, James revealed that Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson had been cast as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, respectively. The short list of other actresses considered for the role of Anastasia included Alicia Vikander, Imogen Poots, Elizabeth Olsen, Shailene Woodley, and Felicity Jones. Keeley Hazell auditioned for an unspecified role. Lucy Hale also auditioned for the film. Emilia Clarke was also offered the role of Anastasia but turned down the part because of the nudity required. Taylor-Johnson would give every actress who auditioned for the role of Anastasia four pages to read of a monologue from Ingmar Bergman's "Persona".
The studio originally wanted Ryan Gosling for Christian, but he was not interested in the role. Garrett Hedlund was also considered, but he could not connect with the character. Stephen Amell said he would not have wanted to play the role of Grey because "I actually didn't find him to be that interesting ... nothing about Christian Grey really spoke to me." Hunnam initially turned down the role of Christian but later reconsidered it, following a meeting with studio heads. Hunnam said of the audition process: "I felt really intrigued and excited about it so I went and read the first book to get a clearer idea of who this character was, and I felt even more excited at the prospect of bringing him to life. We [Taylor-Johnson and I] kind of both suggested I do a reading with Dakota, who was her favorite, and as soon as we got in the room and I started reading with Dakota I knew that I definitely wanted to do it. There's just like a tangible chemistry between us. It felt exciting and fun and weird and compelling." In response to the negative reaction that the casting drew from fans, producer Dana Brunetti said: "There is a lot that goes into casting that isn't just looks. Talent, availability, their desire to do it, chemistry with other actor, etc. So if your favorite wasn't cast, then it is most likely due to something on that list. Keep that in mind while hating and keep perspective."
During October 2013, actress Jennifer Ehle was in talks for the role of Anastasia's mother Carla. On October 12, 2013, Universal Pictures announced that Hunnam had exited the film due to conflicts with the schedule of his FX series "Sons of Anarchy". Alexander Skarsgård, Jamie Dornan, Christian Cooke, Theo James, François Arnaud, Scott Eastwood, Luke Bracey, and Billy Magnussen were at the top of the list to replace Hunnam as Christian Grey. Finally, on October 23, 2013, Dornan was cast as Christian Grey. On October 31, 2013, Victor Rasuk was cast as José Rodriguez, Jr. On November 22, 2013, Eloise Mumford was cast as Kate Kavanagh. On December 2, 2013, singer Rita Ora was cast as Christian's younger sister Mia. Ora originally wanted to work on the soundtrack. On December 3, 2013, Marcia Gay Harden was cast as Christian's mother, Grace.
Filming.
In September, filming was scheduled to start on November 5, 2013, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The following month, producer Michael De Luca announced filming would begin on November 13, 2013. Principal photography was again delayed and eventually started on December 1, 2013. Scenes were filmed in the Gastown district of Vancouver. Bentall 5 was used as the Grey Enterprises building.
The University of British Columbia serves as Washington State University Vancouver, from which Ana graduates. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver was used as the Heathman Hotel. The film was also shot at the North Shore Studios. The production officially ended on February 21, 2014. Reshoots involving scenes between Dornan and Johnson took place in Vancouver during the week of October 13, 2014. The film was shot under the working title ""The Adventures of Max and Banks"." Uncredited screenwriter Mark Bomback said he "had never been on a project with that much secrecy around it...The set was on lockdown".
The film was the last project worked on by prolific Academy Award-winning editor Anne V. Coates before her death in 2018.
In an alternative ending, both Ana and Christian experience flashbacks. Christian jogs in the rain, while Ana sobs in her apartment. Christian encounters a gift Ana gave him with the note: "This reminded me of a happy time. —Ana".
Music.
The film's soundtrack was released on February 10, 2015. "Earned It", by Canadian singer the Weeknd, was released as the lead single on December 24, 2014. The second single, "Love Me like You Do", by English singer Ellie Goulding, was released on January 7, 2015. Both singles reached the top three of the "Billboard" Hot 100. The promotional single, "Salted Wound", by Australian singer Sia, was released on January 27, 2015.
As of May 2018, the soundtrack has sold 516,000 copies in the United States.
Release.
Theatrical.
In February 2013, Universal chairman Adam Fogelson said the film "could be ready to release ... as early as next summer." The studio initially announced an August 1, 2014, release. However, in November 2013, it was pushed back to February 13, 2015, in time for Valentine's Day. "Fifty Shades of Grey" was first screened at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival on February 11, 2015. The film was released in 75 IMAX screens across the US on February 13, 2015.
Marketing.
On January 25, 2014, more than a year prior to release, Universal displayed posters with the phrase, "Mr. Grey will see you now", in five locations across the United States.
On July 9, 2014, the book's author, E. L. James, said on Twitter that the film's trailer would be released on July 24, 2014. Beyoncé debuted a teaser for the trailer on her Instagram account five days before the trailer's release. On July 24, Dornan and Johnson were on "The Today Show" to present part of the trailer appropriate for morning television; the full trailer, which contained more racy scenes, was released later the same day on the internet (200 days before its initial theatrical release). The trailer featured a new version of "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé, which was scored and arranged by her frequent collaborator Boots. The trailer was viewed 36.4 million times in the week after its July 24 release. This made it the most viewed trailer on YouTube in 2014, until it was surpassed in October by the trailer for "". However, in mid-December the trailer reached 93 million views and was again the most viewed of 2014. The trailer accumulated over 100 million views in its first week of release through different channels and websites, becoming the biggest trailer ever released in history. By February 2015, the trailer had been viewed more than 193 million times on YouTube alone. And, by late February, "Fifty Shades of Grey–"related material garnered over 329 million views, including 113 million views for its official trailer. A second trailer was released on November 13, 2014. A third trailer aired during Super Bowl XLIX, on February 1, 2015.
The film was promoted through an ad campaign that asked people whether they were "curious". Nick Carpou, Universal's president of domestic distribution, said: "Our campaign gave people permission to see the film." "Valentines is a big deal for couples and a great relationship event, and the date with the long Presidents Day weekend created a perfect storm for us. This date positioned us to take full advantage of the romance angle, which is how we sold the film in our marketing campaign," he said.
Rating and censorship.
There was initial speculation that the film could receive an NC-17 rating in the United States. Studios typically steer away from the adults-only rating due to the impact the classification has on a film's commercial viability, with some theater chains refusing to exhibit NC-17-rated films. While screenwriter Marcel said she expected the film to be NC-17-rated, producer De Luca anticipated the less restrictive R rating. On January 5, 2015, the MPAA did give the film an R rating, basing its decision on "strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and language."
On January 30, in Australia, the film was rated MA15+ by the ACB for "strong sex scenes, sexual themes and nudity". On February 2, 2015, the British BBFC classified the film an 18 certificate, mentioning "strong sex". In Canada, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia, the film was rated at 18A by the OFRB, MFCB, AFR, and BCFCO, respectively, due to its "occasional upsetting or disturbing scenes, and partial or full nudity in a brief sexual situation." In Quebec, the Régie du cinéma rated the movie under the 16+ category for its eroticism. In France, the film earned a 12 rating. In Lebanon, the film earned an NC-21 rating. In Argentina, the Advisory Commission of Cinematographic Exhibition (the rating arm of the INCAA) rated the film SAM16/R. In Mexico, the film earned a C rating, which is equivalent to that no person under the age of 18 could enter to see the feature film for any reason.
Anti-pornography watchdog group Morality in Media argued that the film's R rating "severely undermines the violent themes in the film and does not adequately inform parents and patrons of the film's content", and that the MPAA was encouraging sexual violence by letting the film by without an NC-17 rating.
The film was scheduled for a February 12, 2015, release in Malaysia, but it was denied a certificate by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (LPF) for its "unnatural" and "sadistic" content. The LPF chairman, Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, said Fifty Shades was "more pornography than a movie". The film was also banned in Indonesia, Kenya, Russia's North Caucasus, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, and India. The film was released in Nigeria for a week, before being removed from cinemas by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). Studios decided against pursuing a theatrical release in China.
The sex scenes were censored after protests from various religious groups in the Philippines, and as a result it is in limited release in that country with an R-18 rating from the MTRCB. A similarly cut version was released in Zimbabwe.
Roughly 20 minutes were cut from the film for screening in Vietnam, leaving no sex scenes. The scene in which Ana is beaten with a belt is skipped entirely.
Opposition campaign.
On February 2, in Michigan, a man petitioned to halt the film's release at a local Celebration! Cinema. Despite the man's efforts, the president of the cinemas declined to cancel the release of the film. He said, "We've been in business for 70 years and people often times object to content, and it's not our job to censor the content of a widespread movie. It's not in our best interest. It's not in the community's best interest." The film sold 3,000 tickets before the release and was expected to sell a total of 10,000 tickets.
Thomas Williams of the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture commented on the release of the film in the United States on Valentine's Day, stating "The irony of Universal Pictures' decision to release its bondage-erotica film Fifty Shades of Grey on the day dedicated to honoring a Christian martyr has not gone unnoticed to many observers, who seem to find the choice unclassy at best."
Home media.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" was released via DVD and Blu-ray on May 8, 2015. The Blu-ray edition features an unrated cut of the film; the version includes an additional three minutes of footage, the bulk of which are in the form of an alternative ending.
Upon its release on home media in the U.S., the film topped both the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks combined Blu-ray Disc and DVD sales, as well as the Blu-ray Disc sales chart for two consecutive weeks up to the week ending May 17, 2015.
Reception.
Box office.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" grossed $166.2 million in the United States and Canada and $403.5 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $569.7 million, against a budget of $40 million. It became the third highest-grossing film directed by a woman at the time of release (behind "Mamma Mia!" and "Kung Fu Panda 2"), and at the time of the end of its theatrical run, it was the fourth-highest-grossing R-rated film of all time (behind "The Hangover Part II", "The Passion of the Christ", and "The Matrix Reloaded"). "Deadline Hollywood" calculated the net profit of the film to be $256.55 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues for the film.
Tickets went on sale in the United States from January 11, 2015. According to ticket-selling site Fandango, "Fifty Shades of Grey" is the fastest-selling R-rated title in the site's 15-year history, surpassing "Sex and the City 2". It also had the biggest first week of ticket sales on Fandango for a non-sequel film, surpassing 2012's "The Hunger Games". It is fourth overall on Fandango's list of top advance ticket sales behind "", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2", and "The Hunger Games". The demand prompted US theater owners to add new showtimes. Weeks before the film's release, several box office analysts suggested as much as a $60 million domestic four-day opening while Box Office Mojo reported that a $100 million opening could be possible.
Outside the United States, "Fifty Shades of Grey" pre-sold 4.5 million tickets in 39 markets. In the UK, it sold £1.3 million (US$1.9 million) worth of tickets a week before release. On release, it set several records at the box office, including:
United States and Canada.
In the US and Canada, it is the highest-grossing sex film, the seventeenth-highest-grossing film of 2015, and the fourth-highest-grossing romantic film of all time. It opened in the US and Canada simultaneously with ' on Thursday, February 12, 2015, across 2,830 theaters and was widened to 3,646 theaters the next day making it the widest R-rated opening (surpassed by '), and the fourth-widest R-rated release of all time. It earned $8.6 million from Thursday night previews which is the second-highest late-night gross for a film released in February (behind "Deadpool") and the third-highest for an R-rated film (behind "Deadpool" and "The Hangover Part II"). The film topped the box office on its opening day grossing $30.2 million (including Thursday previews) from 3,646 theaters setting a record for highest February opening day (previously held by "The Passion of the Christ") and fourth-highest overall among R-rated films. During its traditional three-day opening the film opened at No. 1 at the box office earning $85.1 million, setting records for the biggest opening weekend for a film released in February (a record previously held by "The Passion of the Christ"). Women comprised 82% of the total audiences during its opening day, and 68% on Valentine's Day.
Revenue from the second weekend dropped massively by 73.9% to $22.25 million, which is the second-biggest drop for a 3,000-plus-screen release (only behind "Friday the 13th"'s 80.4% drop) and the biggest for a 3,500-plus-screen release. It is just the eighth film to open on more than 3,000 screens to drop by 70% or more. The film topped the box office for two consecutive weekends before falling to No. 4 in its third weekend while "Focus" took the top spot.
Other countries.
Outside the US and Canada, box-office analysts were predicting as much as $158 million opening. It opened Wednesday, February 11, 2015, in four countries, earning $3.7 million. It opened in 34 more countries on February 12, earning $28.6 million in two days. The film set opening-day records for Universal Pictures in 25 markets and opening day records for an R-rated film in 34 territories. Through Sunday, February 15, it earned an opening-weekend total of US$156 million from 58 countries from 10,979 screens (US$173.6 million through Monday) where it opened at No. 1 in 54 of the 58 countries, marking the biggest overseas opening for an R-rated film, the fourth-biggest of 2015, and Universal's third-biggest overseas opening weekend ever. The film set an all-time opening record in 13 markets, Universal's biggest opening weekend ever in 30 markets and biggest opening for any R-rated film in 31 markets.
The biggest opener outside of the United States was witnessed in the UK, Ireland and Malta, where it earned £13.55 million (US$20.8 million) in its opening weekend, which is the biggest debut ever for an 18-rated film and the second-biggest for a non-sequel film (behind "I Am Legend"). In just 10 days of release it became the highest-grossing 18-rated film of all time. It topped the UK box office for two consecutive weekends. Other high openings include Germany (US$14.1 million), France (US$12.3 million), Russia (US$11 million), Italy (US$10.1 million), Spain (US$8.7 million), Brazil (US$8.3 million), Mexico (US$8.1 million), Australia (US$8 million). In Japan, the film was unsuccessful opening at No. 5 with $682,000 but falling out of the top 10 the following week. "The Hollywood Reporter" cited out possible reasons for the film's failure, attributing it to the "delayed release of the new Japanese-language editions of the books, poor timing for the film release and an R-15, re-edit blurring out parts of the sex scenes."
It topped the box office outside of the US for three consecutive weekends until it was overtaken by Warner Bros.' "Jupiter Ascending" in its fourth weekend. It became Universal Pictures' highest-grossing R-rated film of all time overseas (breaking "Ted"'s record), Universal Pictures' highest-grossing film in 14 countries, and Universal Pictures' eighth-highest-grossing film overseas. In total earnings, its largest markets overseas are the UK, Ireland and Malta (US$52.5 million), Germany (US$43.7 million), Brazil (US$31.3 million), France (US$29.5 million), and Spain (US$22.6 million).
Critical response.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" received mixed to unfavorable reviews, with criticism of its acting, screenplay, and pacing; however, some critics considered it an improvement over the book, and others praised its cinematography, production design and soundtrack. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 25% approval rating with an average rating of 4.20/10 based on 280 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "While creatively better endowed than its print counterpart, "Fifty Shades of Grey" is a less than satisfying experience on the screen." Metacritic gave the film a score of 46 out of 100, based on reviews from 46 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". In CinemaScore polls conducted during the opening weekend, cinema audiences gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale.
Claudia Puig of "USA Today" wrote that "the dialogue is laughable, the pacing is sluggish and the performances are one-note." Moira Macdonald of "The Seattle Times" wrote: ""Fifty Shades of Grey" the movie, for the record, is not quite as bad as "Fifty Shades of Grey" the book. But that's not saying much". "We Got This Covered" critic Isaac Feldberg gave the film one and a half stars out of five and wrote that it "feels like two, distinct films grappling for dominance over the screen: one a sensual and stylish romance, and the other a numbingly explicit Harlequin bodice-ripper brought to life. Regrettably, the latter and lesser of the two ends up on top". "The Guardian" lead film critic Peter Bradshaw gave the film one star out of five, calling it "the most purely tasteful and softcore depiction of sadomasochism in cinema history" with "strictly daytime soap" performances. A. O. Scott of "The New York Times" called the film "terrible", but wrote that "it might nonetheless be a movie that feels good to see, whether you squirm or giggle or roll your eyes or just sit still and take your punishment."
In a positive review for "The Daily Telegraph", Robbie Collin called the film "sexy, funny and self-aware in every way the original book isn't." Elizabeth Weitzman of New York's "Daily News" praised the directing, screenplay, and Johnson's performance, but called Dornan's performance, the leads' chemistry, and the supporting cast "underused". She praised the film for honoring the essence of its source and the director's way of balancing "atmosphere with action". In "The Guardian", Jordan Hoffmann awarded the film three out of five stars, writing, "this big screen adaptation still manages to be about people, and even a little bit sweet", and that the sex scenes "are there to advance the plot, and only the most buttoned-up prude will be scandalised." Lisa Schwarzbaum of "Entertainment Weekly" gave the film a B−, writing: "This perfectly normal way of consuming erotica suggests that the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey" will work better as home entertainment, when each viewer can race past the blah-blah about how well Christian plays the piano and pause on the fleeting image of the man minus his pants." In "The Sydney Morning Herald", Timothy Laurie and Jessica Kean argue that "the film provides a language for decision-making around violence more developed than most Hollywood fodder", and that "film fleshes out an otherwise legalistic concept like 'consent' into a living, breathing, and at times, uncomfortable interpersonal experience. It dramatises the dangers of unequal negotiation and the practical complexity of identifying one's limits and having them respected."
Various critics noted similarities between "Fifty Shades of Grey" and Adrian Lyne's "9½ Weeks" (1986). Both films are literary adaptations, centering on a sadomasochistic affair.
Pornographic-adaptation lawsuit.
In June 2012, the film company Smash Pictures announced its intent to film a pornographic version of the "Fifty Shades" book trilogy, entitled "Fifty Shades of Grey: An XXX Adaptation". A release date of January 10, 2013 was announced. In November 2012, Universal, which had secured the "Fifty Shades" film rights, filed a lawsuit against Smash Pictures, stating that the film violated its copyright in that it was not filmed as a parody adaptation but "copies without reservation from the unique expressive elements of the "Fifty Shades" trilogy, progressing through the events of "Fifty Shades of Grey" and into the second book, "Fifty Shades Darker"".
The lawsuit asked for an injunction, for the profits from all sales of the film, as well as damages, saying that "a quickly and cheaply produced pornographic work [...] is likely to cause Plaintiffs irreparable harm by poisoning public perception of the Fifty Shades Trilogy and the forthcoming Universal films." Smash Pictures responded to the lawsuit by issuing a counterclaim and requesting a continuance, stating that "much or all" of the "Fifty Shades" material was part of the public domain because it was originally published in various venues as a fan fiction based on the "Twilight" series. A lawyer for Smash Pictures further commented that the federal copyright registrations for the books were "invalid and unenforceable" and that the film "did not violate copyright or trademark laws". The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum and Smash Pictures agreed to stop any further production or promotion of the film.
Sequels.
In April 2015, "The Hollywood Reporter" reported that E. L. 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 the films would be shot back-to-back.
Parody.
A spoof version of the film, "Fifty Shades of Black", was released on January 29, 2016, in North America. Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez wrote the script, in which Wayans stars as Christian Black. The film was distributed by SquareOne Entertainment in Germany and Open Road Films in the United States; IM Global produce and finance it, as well as handling international releases. Kali Hawk parodied the role of Anastasia Steele, with supporting cast including Affion Crockett, Mike Epps, Jane Seymour, Andrew Bachelor and Fred Willard. It was released theatrically on January 29, 2016 and described as less funny "than the unintentionally-funny film it's trying to lampoon."
Notes.
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Fifty Shades of Grey (soundtrack)
Fifty Shades of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the film of the same name adapted from E. L. James's eponymous novel that was released through Republic Records on February 10, 2015. It was the seventh best-selling album of 2015 with 2.2 million copies sold worldwide.
Background.
Meetings about the album took place nearly two years prior the album's release when plans of a film were announced. Mike Knobloch, president of film music and publishing at Universal said: "We really wanted the songs to be part of the fiber of the film — nothing crowbarred in or just auxiliary to the experience. There was a very deliberate effort to create as much original material as possible, to tailor the production, the lyrics, and the performance."
Beyoncé was one of the first singers approached for the film. Knobloch said: "She thought it was an opportunity to do something that aligned nicely with her brand and agenda." Sia was approached by Knobloch and music supervisor Dana Sano with a scene they had in mind: "It's a pivotal moment, when the two protagonists have an ecstatic and intimate first sexual encounter. [Sia] played us songs and we would say, 'That's good, but could it be more of this, or less of that?'. By the end we left her spinning her wheels about what she had to do to deliver just the right song to us for the film." The Weeknd was involved in the project very early. Tom Mackay, a manager at Republic Records, explained: "He worked on a number of songs for a number of scenes. Some were working and some weren't, but he just kept at it, and kept at it, and kept at it. In the end, he wrote 'Earned It' and it's the biggest song of his career to date. It's the only song that's in the movie twice."
On January 12, 2015, E. L. James announced the soundtrack would be released on February 10, 2015.
Singles.
The soundtrack was preceded by the release of two singles. "Earned It" by Canadian singer the Weeknd was released as the album's lead single on December 23, 2014, peaked at number three on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and was included on his second album "Beauty Behind the Madness". "Love Me like You Do" by English singer Ellie Goulding was released as the second single on January 7, 2015; it reached number one on the national charts of 16 countries including the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number three on the Hot 100 and was included on her third album "Delirium".
Promotional singles.
"Salted Wound" by Sia was released as the first promotional single on January 27, 2015. Two further promotional singles, "One Last Night" by Vaults and "I Know You" by Skylar Grey, were released on February 3, 2015. "I'm on Fire", a Bruce Springsteen cover performed by Awolnation, was released as the fourth promotional single on February 9, 2015.
Reception.
Commercial performance.
The album debuted at number two on the "Billboard" 200 with sales of 258,000 units (210,000 copies of traditional albums) in its first week behind Drake's "If You're Reading This It's Too Late". As of January 2017, it had sold 913,000 copies in the United States.
The album debuted at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 18,000 copies. As of July 2015, it had sold 89,000 copies in the country.
Critical reception.
In contrast to the near-universal panning of the film, its soundtrack has received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the soundtrack received an average score of 65, based on 7 reviews. Kenneth Partridge of "Billboard" rated the soundtrack three-and-a-half out of five stars, writing that the soundtrack "wisely skews mainstream". Chuck Arnold of "Rolling Stone" compared the soundtrack to those of "The Twilight Saga" and "The Hunger Games" while noting that the Weeknd's "Earned It" brings "Bond-theme drama" to the soundtrack. However, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the soundtrack as "suitable for any romantic evening" and a seduction. Jim Farber of the "New York Daily News" claimed that the lyrics speak of "romanticized sex", while highlighting the album's "soft-edged production". Writing for ABC News, Allan Raible described the soundtrack as a collection of "sultry electro blues pop", but criticized the inclusions of older publications. Mikael Wood of the "Los Angeles Times" called the soundtrack a "slog" and criticized the album's midtempo tracks, while comparing the album's commercial performance to that of Taylor Swift's "1989".
Track listing.
Notes
Credits.
Credits for the soundtrack adapted from AllMusic.
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Fifty Shades (film series)
2015 to 2018 film series based on the novels by E. L. James
Fifty Shades is a British-American film trilogy series based on the "Fifty Shades" trilogy by English author E. L. James. It is distributed by Universal Studios, and stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as the lead roles Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, respectively. Sam Taylor-Johnson directed the first film, and James Foley directed the second and third films.
The first film, "Fifty Shades of Grey", was released on February 13, 2015, while the second, "Fifty Shades Darker", was released on February 10, 2017. "Fifty Shades Freed", the third film, was released on February 9, 2018. Although the films were poorly received critically, the series grossed over $1.32 billion worldwide, making it the seventh highest-grossing R-rated franchise of all-time.
Development.
Two years after the trilogy's first novel was released, several distribution companies had bid for the rights of the trilogy. Warner Bros., Sony, Paramount and Universal, as well as Mark Wahlberg's production company, put in bids for the film rights. The winning bid went to Universal Studios and Focus Features, at $5 million. With James gaining control over the process of the making of the film, she hand-picked Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca as the producers.
Films.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" (2015).
When Anastasia "Ana" Steele, a literature student, goes to interview the wealthy Christian Grey, as a favor to her roommate Kate Kavanagh, she encounters a handsome, brilliant and intimidating man. The innocent and naive Ana, startled to realize she wants him, despite his enigmatic reserve and advice, finds herself desperate to get close to him. Not able to resist Ana's beauty and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her too, but on his own terms. Ana hesitates as she discovers the singular tastes of Grey; despite the embellishments of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family – Grey is consumed by the need to control everything. As they get close, Steele starts to discover Grey's secrets and explores her own BDSM desires.
"Fifty Shades Darker" (2017).
Following the events of the first film, Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey resume their relationship under Ana's terms. However, their relationship is tested when Christian's past threatens the couple.
"Fifty Shades Freed" (2018).
Believing they have left behind the shadowy figures from the past, billionaire Christian Grey and his new wife, Anastasia, fully embrace their inextricable connection and shared life of luxury. Just as the Greys begin to step into their new roles, sinister events come to light and jeopardize their happy ending before it even begins.
Production.
Directors.
On June 19, 2013, Sam Taylor-Johnson was chosen to direct the first film. On February 6, 2015, Taylor-Johnson announced the sequels, prompting she would return to direct the sequels. It was later revealed that Taylor-Johnson would not return. On August 20, 2015, it was revealed by "Deadline Hollywood" that James Foley was the front-runner to direct the sequel and third film "Fifty Shades Freed".
Screenwriters.
Kelly Marcel was chosen as the screenwriter for the first film.
On April 22, 2015, it was announced that author E.L. James' husband, Niall Leonard, would write the script for the sequel. Leonard also went on to write the script for the third film.
Casting.
The casting for the lead roles was considered controversial. Many contenders considered for the film included Ryan Gosling, Garrett Hedlund, Theo James, Alexander Skarsgård, François Arnaud, Charlie Hunnam, Scott Eastwood, Luke Bracey, Ian Somerhalder and Billy Magnussen as Christian Grey. Alicia Vikander, Imogen Poots, Elizabeth Olsen, Shailene Woodley, Alexis Bledel and Felicity Jones were all considered for the role of Anastasia Steele.
On September 2, 2013, Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam were cast as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey respectively. As a result, the displeasure of the casting from fans caused controversy. In response, Brunetti stated, "There is a lot that goes into casting that isn't just looks. Talent, availability, their desire to do it, chemistry with other actor, etc. So if your favorite wasn't cast, then it is most likely due to something on that list. Keep that in mind while hating and keep perspective." On October 12, it was announced Hunnam had quit the role of Grey and the studio was in the process of searching for a new actor. On October 23, Jamie Dornan was cast as the replacement for Christian Grey.
In October 2013, Jennifer Ehle was cast as Carla Wilks. On October 31, 2013, Victor Rasuk was cast as José Rodriguez, Jr. On November 22, 2013, Eloise Mumford was cast as Kate Kavanagh. On December 2, 2013, singer Rita Ora was cast as Christian's younger sister Mia. On December 3, 2013, Marcia Gay Harden was cast as Christian's mother, Grace.
On January 28, 2016, Kim Basinger joined the franchise to play the role of Elena Lincoln in the sequels, Grey's business partner and former lover, while Luke Grimes, Eloise Mumford and Max Martini would be returning for the sequels. On February 5, Bella Heathcote was cast as Leila, one of Grey's former submissives. In the same month, Eric Johnson was cast to play Jack Hyde, Ana's boss at SIP. On February 18, 2016, Robinne Lee and Fay Masterson joined the film's cast. On February 20, Brant Daugherty signed on to play Luke Sawyer, the personal bodyguard for Anastasia in the third film.
Filming.
For "Fifty Shades of Grey", principal photography was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which began on December 1, 2013. Scenes were filmed in the Gastown district of Vancouver. Bentall 5 was used as the Grey Enterprises building. The University of British Columbia serves as Washington State University Vancouver, from which Ana graduates. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver was used as the Heathman Hotel. The film was also shot at the North Shore Studios. The production officially ended on February 21, 2014. Reshoots involving scenes between Dornan and Johnson took place in Vancouver during the week of October 13, 2014.
For "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed", principal photography was to commence in June in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was later to be impossible, due to the script being unwritten at that moment. In November 2015, Universal Studios announced that both films would be shot back-to-back with principal photography scheduled to commence in early 2016. Filming began in Paris and Vancouver from February 9, 2016, to July 12, 2016, under the working title ""Further Adventures of Max and Banks 2 & 3"." Filming on "Fifty Shades Darker" concluded on April 11, 2016.
Reception.
With a combined worldwide gross over $1.3 billion, the franchise was one of the biggest R-rated franchises ever, behind only "The Matrix" ($1.6 billion over three films), "The Hangover" ($1.4 billion over three films) and "Alien" ($1.328 billion not counting the PG-13 "Alien vs. Predator").
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Fifty Shades (novel series)
Erotic novel series by E. L. James
Fifty Shades is a series of erotic novels by British author E. L. James, initially a trilogy consisting of "Fifty Shades of Grey" (2011), "Fifty Shades Darker" (2012) and "Fifty Shades Freed" (2012). The series traces the deepening relationship between college graduate Anastasia Steele and young businessman Christian Grey. Christian introduces Ana to the world of BDSM.
The author has spoken of her shock at the success of the book: "The explosion of interest has taken me completely by surprise." James has described the "Fifty Shades" trilogy as "my midlife crisis, writ large. All my fantasies in there, and that's it." She did not start to write until January 2009, as she revealed while still active on FanFiction.Net: "I started writing in January 2009 after I finished reading the Twilight saga, and I haven't stopped since. I discovered Fan Fiction in August 2009. Since then I have written two fics and plan on doing at least one more. After that ... who knows?" In August 2013, sales of the trilogy saw James top the "Forbes"' list of the highest-earning authors with earnings of $95 million, which included $5 million for the film rights to "Fifty Shades of Grey". In spite of the success, the books have also been largely panned by critics, with the first entry in particular "being ridiculed by virtually every critic who has read it."
Since 2015 the series has been expanded with a parallel set of novels "as told by Christian": ' follows the events of "Fifty Shades of Grey" but from the perspective of Christian Grey, ' (2017) and "" (2021) do the same for "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed", respectively.
Critical reception.
Salman Rushdie said about the book: "I've never read anything so badly written that got published. It made "Twilight" look like "War and Peace"." Maureen Dowd described the book in "The New York Times" as being written "like a Brontë devoid of talent", and said it was "dull and poorly written". Jesse Kornbluth of "The Huffington Post" said: "As a reading experience, "Fifty Shades" ... is a sad joke, puny of plot".
Princeton professor April Alliston wrote, "Though no literary masterpiece, "Fifty Shades" is more than parasitic fan fiction based on the recent "Twilight" vampire series." "Entertainment Weekly" writer Lisa Schwarzbaum gave the book a "B+" rating and praised it for being "in a class by itself". British author Jenny Colgan in "The Guardian" wrote "It is jolly, eminently readable and as sweet and safe as BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) erotica can be without contravening the trade descriptions act" and also praised the book for being "more enjoyable" than other "literary erotic books". However, "The Telegraph" criticized the book as "treacly cliché" but also wrote that the sexual politics in "Fifty Shades of Grey" will have female readers "discussing it for years to come". A reviewer for the "Ledger-Enquirer" described the book as guilty fun and escapism, but that it "also touches on