Universal Pictures has released thefirst trailerfor the upcomingFifty Shades of Greysequel,Fifty Shades Darker. This is our first real look at the return of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele to their steamy love affair. If this first trailer is to be believed, things should definitely be heating up in more ways than one, withFifty Shades Darkerin theaters this winter.
The first footage for the movie was released on YouTube byUniversal Picturesyesterday, with the full trailer debuting today as promised.Dakota JohnsonandJamie Dornanare both returning as Anastasia and Christian respectively to further the story that started withFifty Shades of Greylast year. Academy Award winnerMarcia Gay Harden,Jennifer Ehle,Luke Grimes,Rita Ora,Victor Rasuk,Eloise MumfordandMax Martiniare all also returning fromFifty Shades of Grey. The sequel has also added some more talent in the form of Oscar-winnerKim Basinger,Hugh Dancy,Bella HeathcoteandEric Johnson.
This time around inFifty Shades Darker, the pair are starting to build trust with one another and find some stability. That becomes complicated asChristian Greyis wrestling with his inner demons and Anastasia must confront some of the women who came before her. As the first poster and the tagline for the movie tease, we should be ready to “slip into something a little darker” this time around. But we should also be expecting a lot of steamy, sexy sequences, as we were given plenty of it inFifty Shades of Grey. No doubt, as the footage teases, this second entry in the series should be upping the stakes quite a bit. Here is the official synopsis from Universal Pictures.
“Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Darker, the second chapter based on the worldwide bestselling Fifty Shades phenomenon. Expanding upon events set in motion in 2015’s blockbuster film that grossed more than $560 million globally, the new installment arrives for Valentine’s Day and invites you to slip into something a shade darker. When a wounded Christian Grey tries to entice a cautious Ana Steele back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance. As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian’s past start to circle the couple, determined to destroy their hopes for a future together.”
Fifty Shades of Greywas adapted from the bestselling book byE. L. Jamesand wound up being an equally massive success on the big screen. The movie grossed a very impressive $571 million worldwide on a relatively small $40 million production budget. It didn’t seem to matter that critics didn’t care for the movie, which currently sits at a 25 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Universal is hoping to repeat that success withFifty Shades Darker, and they very well should be able to, given that they seem to have all of the pieces in place that made the first one sosizzlingand successful.
Sam Taylor-Johnsondid not return to direct this installment. Instead,James Foleyhas come on board to direct both Fifty Shades Darker and the third installment,Fifty Shades Freed, which already has a June 18, 2025, release date.Fifty Shades Darkeris set for release on June 27, 2025, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Be sure to check out the first full trailer forFifty Shades Darkerfor yourself below. We also have a new gallery of photos.
