--- description: In Mississippi pre-sales are four times greater than expected title: The Bible Belt is Really, Really Excited to See 'Fifty Shades of Grey' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Bible Belt Is Really, Really Excited to See _Fifty Shades of Grey_ by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 6:10 PM CUTPublished: Feb 5, 2015 8:56 PM CUT by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 6:10 PM CUTPublished: Feb 5, 2015 8:56 PM CUT Excitement over the highly-anticipated film [_Fifty Shades of Grey_](http://time.com/topic/fifty-shades-of-grey-2/ "undefined") is heating up in places few could have guessed. According to online box office [Fandango](http://pro.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2015-02-04-fifty-shades-of-grey-pre-sales-heat-up-in-unexpected-places "undefined"), ticket pre-sales in Mississippi, where until recently it was actually illegal to sell sex toys, are four-times higher than the site expected. And the Magnolia State isn’t the only Southern locale where pre-sale tickets are selling rapidly. In Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Alabama — where the sale of sex toys is [still banned](http://www.esquire.com/blogs/news/legal-ban-on-sex-toys "undefined") — pre-sales are double what sellers expected. “‘Fifty Shades’ is a true phenomenon all across the country,” said Fandango Chief Correspondent Dave Karger in a [press release](http://pro.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2015-02-04-fifty-shades-of-grey-pre-sales-heat-up-in-unexpected-places "undefined"). “It’s also a surprisingly hot seller in the South and Heartland, indicating that the anticipation for this film is across the board.” Many of the states where pre-sales have exceeded expectations are among the most religious and Republican in the U.S., according to Fandango. The movie based off the infamous “mommy-porn” series by E.L. James hits theaters just in time for Valentine’s Day. According to [Fandango](http://pro.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2015-02-04-fifty-shades-of-grey-pre-sales-heat-up-in-unexpected-places "undefined"), shows in several cities are already sold out. ### Fifty Shades of Grey: TIME's Exclusive Portraits of the Cast and Director  Dakota Johnson (Anastasia “Ana” Steele) and Jamie Dornan (Christian Grey) photographed at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2015. Malerie Marder for TIME  Dakota Johnson (Anastasia “Ana” Steele) photographed at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2015. Malerie Marder for TIME  Sam Taylor-Johnson (director) photographed at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2015. 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