‘Fifty Shades Darker’ Delayed Again — Jamie Dornan To Blame?

Just when everyone thought Fifty Shades Darker was back on schedule, the film has suffered another delay in production. Only this time, it appears as though Jamie Dornan may be the reason behind the delay. With production for the Fifty Shades of Grey sequel once again pushed back, will filmmakers be able to release the movie on its scheduled premiere date?

According to Movie Pilot, filming for Fifty Shades Darker was supposed to kick off in Vancouver on February 9. Now, producers have pushed back the start of production to February 15. Although the true reasons behind the delays have not been leaked, there are a few likely culprits.

For starters, International Business Times is reporting that Dornan’s personal life may be at the center of the delays. Dornan, who plays the part of Christian Grey in the hit franchise, and his wife Amelia Warner are getting ready to usher another baby into the world. While it is unclear when Warner is expecting to have the child, it is thought that the baby is one reason producers have pushed back production another week.

Apart from Dornan’s new baby, there are other possible reasons behind the delay. In fact, there are still a number of different parts in the movie that have yet to be cast. This includes to the roles of Mrs. Robinson, Leila Williams, and Jack Hyde.

So far, there have been a number of different actors rumored to be tied to the parts. Ian Somerhalder, Charlize Theron, Theo James, Alexis Bledel, and Cara Delevignge have all been thought to be considered for the roles, though none of them have officially committed. Early on, Henry Cavill was also thrown into the mix, though the Man of Steel actor has since refuted such claims.

These casting holes may be one of the reasons behind the recent delays, especially considering how integral the parts are to the main storyline. While initial production can likely begin without these roles being filled, the parts will definitely need to be cast before too long.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time the sequel has been delayed. Despite the success of Fifty Shades of Grey, director Sam Taylor-Johnson decided to part ways with the franchise over disputes with author E.L. James. Without a director to helm the project, the sequel was in danger of some serious setbacks.

However, producers announced late last year that they had hired James Foley to direct Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. With the At Close Range director now heading up the project, fans were relieved to learn that the movie would finally begin production in early 2016, though many speculated that the movie would not be released on time.

That being said, the first film also suffered through a round of delays but still managed to be released on schedule. In fact, Fifty Shades of Grey was originally slated to start production in November 2013 but did not get underway until December of that year.

Filming for Fifty Shades of Grey wrapped in February, which meant that producers had an entire year to edit. The same will not hold true for Fifty Shades Darker, especially if production continues to be delayed.

Based on the current schedule, the production might not wrap until early April, which would only give filmmakers around ten months to render a completed project. While this is possible to accomplish, further delays will only make things worse for Foley and his crew.

Fifty Shades Darker is scheduled to open in theaters on February 10, 2017, while the third movie in the franchise, Fifty Shades Freed, is set to premiere on February 9, 2018.

Tell us! Do you think Fifty Shades Darker will still come out on time? Let us know in the comments below.

[Image via Universal Pictures]