--- title: E.L. James' Husband Will Write 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Movie Sequel description: The director and screenwriter of the first film will not return for the second canonical: https://time.com/3832277/el-james-husband-fifty-shades-movie-sequel/ author: Eliana Dockterman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-04-22T23:07:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T06:36:13.698Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: EL James' Husband Will Write 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Movie Sequel og:description: The director and screenwriter of the first film will not return for the second og:url: https://time.com/3832277/el-james-husband-fifty-shades-movie-sequel/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d5f1af5a2637852/6987852406f2c18da433497a/1180627_full.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Dakota Johnson (L) and Jamie Dornan (R) in "Fifty Shades of Grey." og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: EL James' Husband Will Write 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Movie Sequel twitter:description: The director and screenwriter of the first film will not return for the second twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d5f1af5a2637852/6987852406f2c18da433497a/1180627_full.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # E.L. James' Husband Will Write _Fifty Shades of Grey_ Movie Sequel > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Ally. Ally is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Ally: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Ally is a digital financial services company offering online-only banking, including checking and savings accounts, through Ally.com and its mobile apps. Launched in 2009 as an original disruptor in financial services, Ally was built to challenge outdated banking norms with a simpler, more convenient way to bank. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account.  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Apr 22, 2015 11:07 PM UTC  Dakota Johnson, left, and Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades of Grey Dakota Johnson, left, and Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades of GreyFocus Pictures  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Apr 22, 2015 11:07 PM UTC _Fifty Shades of Grey_ author E.L. James has [enlisted](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/el-james-husband-writing-fifty-790859?utm%5Fsource=Sailthru&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=hollywoodreporter%5Fbreakingnews&utm%5Fcampaign=THR%20Breaking%20News%5Fnow%5F2015-04-22%2014%3A49%3A30%5Fehayden) her husband to write the script for the film based on her book’s sequel, _Fifty Shades Darker_, reports the _Hollywood Reporter_. Niall Leonard, who has two sons with James, is an author and a screenwriter and worked on the first _Fifty Shades_ film, though he was not credited. E.L. James earned a reputation for demanding total control over her material during the filming of the first movie in the trilogy. She reportedly [clashed](http://time.com/3702696/fifty-shades-of-grey-sam-taylor-johnson-el-james/) with director Sam Taylor-Johnson over the adaptation. Neither Taylor-Johnson, nor screenwriter Kelly Marcel, will return to the franchise for the second film. Though the first installment in the _Fifty Shades_ series grossed $568.8 million at the global box office, plans for the sequel have stalled. The departure of Taylor-Johnson sent the studio scrambling for a replacement, and stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are reportedly both negotiating for more money. _Read next:_ [Fifty Shades of Grey](http://time.com/3702696/fifty-shades-of-grey-sam-taylor-johnson-el-james/)[ _Director Didn’t Enjoy Working With Book’s Author_](http://time.com/3702696/fifty-shades-of-grey-sam-taylor-johnson-el-james/) \[[_THR_](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/el-james-husband-writing-fifty-790859?utm%5Fsource=Sailthru&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=hollywoodreporter%5Fbreakingnews&utm%5Fcampaign=THR%20Breaking%20News%5Fnow%5F2015-04-22%2014%3A49%3A30%5Fehayden)\] E.L. 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