Taglines: Slip into something a shade darker.
One year later, after Anastasia Steele leaves Christian Grey, he begins having nightmares about his abusive childhood. Meanwhile, Ana begins a new job as an assistant to Jack Hyde, an editor at Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP) whose previous three assistants all quit within the last 18 months. Ana unexpectedly runs into Christian at the opening of her friend Jose Rodriguez’s photography exhibit where Christian bought all the portraits of Ana which Jose has exhibited. He says he wants Ana back and agrees to her no rules, no punishments, and no more secrets terms.
As Jack and Ana are going for an after-work drink, Ana is approached on the street by a young woman resembling her. Christian arrives at the bar and acts coolly towards Jack, then quickly departs with Ana. He warns Ana about Jack’s reputation, though she dismisses this. Ana is annoyed that Christian is considering buying Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP). Jack tells Ana she is expected to accompany him on a New York book expo trip, but after speaking with Christian, she agrees not to attend.
Shortly after, Ana again notices the same woman observing her and Christian from a distance. Christian deflects Ana’s inquiry about the woman’s identity, but later admits she is Leila Williams, a former submissive. After their contract ended, Leila wanted more, but Christian ended the relationship. Leila married a man who later died, causing Leila to have a mental breakdown. She has been stalking Ana and Christian.
Prior to the Grey Family’s annual charity ball, Christian takes Ana to Esclava, a beauty salon owned by Elena Lincoln. Elena is Christian’s former dominant who introduced him to the BDSM lifestyle. Ana is furious that Christian took her there and to discover that Elena and Christian are business partners. At the ball, Christian’s sister mentions that her brother was expelled from four different schools for brawling.
Christian tells Ana that his mother committed suicide; he was alone with her body for three days before being taken to the hospital where Grace Trevelyan Grey worked; she cared for and later adopted the young boy. During the ball, Ana rebuffs Elena’s demand that she leave Christian and warns Elena not to meddle in their relationship. Arriving home, she and Christian discover Leila has vandalized Ana’s car. Christian later tells Ana that his birth mother was a crack-addicted prostitute.
When Ana tells Jack she won’t be attending the expo with him, he attempts to seduce her while they are alone at work, but she evades him and escapes. Christian exerts his influence to have Jack fired, and Ana is promoted to acting editor in Jack’s place. Christian asks Ana to move in with him and she agrees.
At Ana’s apartment, Leila threatens her with a gun. Christian and his driver/bodyguard, Jason Taylor, enter and Christian controls Leila by becoming her dominant. Ana, seeing Christian’s need to be dominant, wanders off, returning hours later. Christian is furious but she says she needs time to consider their relationship. Not wanting to lose Ana, Christian submissively drops to his knees and confesses that he is not a dominant, but a sadist who enjoyed hurting women who looked like his birth mother. He insists he wants to change. During the night, Ana awakens Christian while he is having a nightmare. He proposes but she needs time before accepting.
Christian leaves on a business trip, piloting his own helicopter. An engine failure occurs over St. Helens volcano which forces him to ditch the craft in a heavily forested area, prompting a massive search and rescue effort. Ana and Christian’s family gather to wait for news. When Christian suddenly arrives home safely, Ana, realizing she loves him, accepts his marriage proposal by giving a gift on his birthday a key chain on which “Yes” was written.
Fifty Shades Darker is a 2017 American erotic romantic drama film directed by James Foley and written by Niall Leonard, based on E. L. James’s novel of the same name. The second film in the Fifty Shades film series and the sequel to the 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey. The film stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, respectively, with Eric Johnson, Eloise Mumford, Bella Heathcote, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Kim Basinger, and Marcia Gay Harden in supporting roles.
Principal photography was initially set to begin in Vancouver in June 2015. However, it was later postponed due to delays in the script. It was later reported that filming would begin in February 2016 in Vancouver, while the studio North Shore Studios was booked for the film. In November 2015, Universal Studios announced that the film and Freed would be shot back-to-back, with principal photography scheduled to commence in early 2016. Filming took place in Paris and Vancouver from February 9, 2016 to July 12, 2016, under the working title, “Further Adventures of Max and Banks 2 & 3.” Principal photography concluded on April 11, 2016.
Fifty Shades Darker grossed $115.6 million in the United States and Canada and $266.5 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $381.1 million, against a production budget of $55 million. Outside North America, the film was simultaneously released in 57 countries, and was expected to gross $115–155 million over its first three days. It ended up grossing $97.8 million in its opening weekend, the fourth largest R-rated international opening of all-time. Its top grossing locations included Germany ($11 million), the United Kingdom ($9.7 million), France ($8.7 million), Brazil ($7.5 million), Italy ($6.8 million), and Russia ($6.7 million).
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Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
Oirected by: James Foley
Starring: Tyler Hoechlin, Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Kim Basinger, Bella Heathcote, Hugh Dancy, Jennifer Ehle, Marcia Gay Harden, Michelle Harrison, Eloise Mumford, Rita Ora
Screenplay by: Niall Leonard
Production Design by: Nelson Coates
Cinematography by: John Schwartzman
Film Editing by: Richard Francis-Bruce
Costume Design by: Shay Cunliffe
Set Decoration by: Carolyn ‘Cal’ Loucks
Art Direction by: Peter Bodnarus, Craig Humphries, Jeremy Stanbridge
Music by: Danny Elfman
MPAA Rating: R for strong erotic sexual content, some graphic nudity, and language.
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: February 10, 2017
