Fifty Shades sequel release dates confirmed

We finally have confirmed release dates for the next two installments of the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. As it currently stands, to keep with the Valentine's Day tradition, we won't be getting Fifty Shades Darker until February 10, 2017 while the third installment (presumably titled Fifty Shades Freed) will hit theaters on February 9, 2018.

Universal seems to be taking a huge gamble with these release dates. I say that because you would assume these films would be fast-tracked to keep the attention of the public. Having the sequel two years from the first one is a bit crazy. I assumed they'd at least try and film by the end of this year for 2016 and 2017 releases.
This comes a day after Universal announced that Fifty Shades author EL James' husband, Niall Leonard, has been hired to pen the screenplay for Fifty Shades Darker. This compromise came after James caused the departure of director Sam Taylor-Johnson and writer Kelly Marcel. Now that it has become blatantly obvious that EL James has taken full control of this franchise there is no telling what is going to happen. For all we know the director for Fifty Shades Darker will be James.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey but I credit that to Sam Taylor-Johnson. The direction was solid and the cinematography was amazing. With her departure I think it's pretty safe to say that the cinematographer, Seamus McGarvey, won't be returning either. We now have a new writer and will have a new director and most likely a new cinematographer. We still have multiple characters that need to be cast (the big one being "Mrs. Robinson") and the remaining actors from the first film are demanding ridiculously high salaries.

This franchise quickly is turning into even more of a joke than it originally was.

 

EL James' husband to pen Fifty Shades Darker

This just keeps getting better and better.

In a last attempt to meet with Fifty Shades author EL James' ridiculous demands over creative control, Universal has hired her husband to pen the screenplay for Fifty Shades Darker. Originally, James (aka, Erika Leonard) was demanding to pen the screenplay for the sequel despite having absolutely no experience.
Niall Leonard, in all fairness, does have some experience including work on some British television shows. He also, apparently, did some uncredited work on the original Fifty Shades of Grey script that was written by Kelly Marcel and his wife, EL James.

This is all absolutely ridiculous. When I first read the article I started laughing thinking, this has to be a joke! But it's no joke and it's all on Universal and Focus Features for giving this bitch so much input on the movies. I don't know if another studio would have negotiated something better when it comes to this woman, but the way Universal has set this up pretty much means they're doing this to themselves.
As it currently stands, Fifty Shades Darker is basically at a stand still. In addition to the screenplay fiasco, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are currently in contract negotiations because they both are demanding a significantly larger sum of money for the sequels; sums that actually exceed the entire budget the first film had.

Fifty Shades of Grey - First Trailer

I would say I should probably read the book again but I really don't want to. Just like I don't really want to see this movie. If I wanted to watch a bad plot with creepy bondage sex I would watch a porno online for free.




But, nevertheless this is a big thing for a lot of people. As far as the casting goes I actually think the actors they decided on are good choices. They seem to have a lot of chemistry which is never a bad thing for a film like this. I foresee this being another Twilight type franchise. It will be widely made fun of and criticized, but the true fanbase will love it no matter how bad it is. Fifty Shades of Grey whips its way into theaters (oh, that pun) on February 14, 2015.

And in case you really don't know what this story is about... do not go see this with your parents. It will get very awkward very quickly.


EDIT:  I decided to take the plunge and re-read the first book and continue on with the second and third. I was curious to see if I could make it through all three of them. After finishing the trilogy and watching this trailer a couple more times I will compliment them on one thing... it looks very close to the book.
You can pinpoint exact scenes from the book and they are right there in the trailer. Examples being Christian carrying Ana down the hall in the bathrobe (it is described in much detail), seeing Ana's hair in the braid (explained in the book), Christian's "special" jeans (explained in the book), Ana's dinner with the Grey family (a rather... awkward chapter), Christian flying the glider with Ana in Georgia (surprise), him picking her up in the helicopter (duh), etc.. It is all there. If the whole movie is that close they definitely did something not many movie adaptations achieve.
Another thing I will reiterate since I already mentioned it is this is really good casting. Since I found out that Dakota Johnson had been cast I did remember briefly seeing her in The Social Network and recalled people online saying she is becoming a notorious scene stealer. Although she was close I wouldn't say she stole the whole scene from Justin Timberlake in The Social Network, but she definitely overpowered Jason Segel in The Five Year Engagement and she was only in it for maybe 5min. She looks a bit older than she actually is, but there is no denying that she is very likeable and that is definitely something they needed for Ana because the character is unbelievably annoying. She doesn't become likeable, for me, until the last quarter of the third book.  She is crippled by attraction, stubborn, and weak minded.
As far as Jamie Dornan goes, I think he has a lot of promise but there is no telling for sure. Here's to hoping he has the creep factor because Christian is definitely a creeper and is very intense. If I see the movie and he isn't making me uncomfortable then they went with the wrong actor. Simple as that.

Sinister 2 to hit theaters in 2015

Focus Features has provided us with a release date of August 21, 2015 for the sequel to the 2012 horror film, Sinister. Director Scott Derrickson will not be returning to direct, but he co-wrote the script and will produce alongside Jason Blum. Cirian Foy has been hired to direct the sequel.
Blumhouse is co-financing with Focus Features and it is expected this will be another micro budget horror project similar to Insidious and The Purge. However, we saw budgets increase for both sequels so it is possible that Sinister 2 will be a bigger production this time around. 

Despite a bad villain name and the fact that it looked like a member of Slipknot, I was surprised by Sinister and wound up really liking it. I don't know where they will go with a sequel, but if it carries the same properties as the first one I think it will be just fine.

Leigh Whannell to direct Insidious: Chapter 3

After director James Wan decided to step away from the horror genre, Focus Features has settled on another director for the third installment of Insidious. They have decided to give Wan's longtime screenwriting and producing partner, Leigh Whannell. This will be his directorial debut.

Whannell is already writing the third installment and has written and acted in the previous two Insidious films as well. Whannell has pretty much been paired with Wan since the two hit the horror scene with Saw back in 2004. This will be a rare occasion where we see Whannell without Wan present.

Production is set to begin on Insidious: Chapter 3 this July with a projected release date of April 3, 2015.

Focus Features will absorb FilmDistrict

Universal has announced that the subdivision, Focus Features, will be absorbing FilmDistrict. The reasoning behind the move is FilmDistrict CEO, Peter Schlessel, taking over for Focus Features. This will give Focus the opportunity to release a wide variety of films and increase them to at least 10 films per year. All FilmDistrict films released after January 2014 will be released as Focus Features.

This year Focus only had four releases this year (Admission, The World's End, Closed Circuit, and The Place Beyond the Pines), and they are looking forward to absorbing the specialty projects FilmDistrict has enjoyed such as Insidious, Evil Dead, and Drive.