LOS ANGELES – “Fifty Shades of Grey,” in part, is about a woman who finds herself in a toxic relationship and has the courage to walk out the door.
The movie’s director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, just did exactly that.
Ms. Taylor-Johnson on Wednesday said she would not return to direct a planned sequel to “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which took in $558.6 million at the worldwide box office earlier this year. The primary reason: the involvement of E.L. James, the author of the best-selling bondage romance upon which Ms. Taylor-Johnson’s film was based.
In interviews leading up to the February release of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, Ms. Taylor-Johnson candidly discussed continuous clashes on the set with Ms. James. Universal Pictures had given Ms. James — who had no movie experience — an unusual degree of control over creative decisions.
On Wednesday, in announcing that she would not return, Ms. Taylor-Johnson, a British artist and filmmaker, took the high road but pointedly did not mention the author.
“Directing ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ has been an intense and incredible journey for which I am hugely grateful,” the statement said. “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.”
She added that she wished whomever does sign on to direct “nothing but success.”
Studios change directors for sequels all the time, but it is unusual for one to leave on her own volition. Kelly Marcel, who wrote the “Fifty Shades of Grey” screenplay and also had disagreements with Ms. James, will also not return.
Ms. James has been trying to convince Universal that she should personally write the screenplay for a sequel, according to Variety. Universal also plans to make a third movie.
Universal and Ms. James had no comment.