Development of the film commenced in March 2012, when Universal and Focus Features secured the rights to the trilogy following a bidding war. After Marcel was hired to write the film's screenplay, multiple directors, includingJoe Wright,Patty Jenkins,Bill Condon,Bennett Miller, andSteven Soderbergh, were attached to the film. Taylor-Johnson was confirmed as the director in June 2013. She cited9½ Weeks (1986),Last Tango in Paris (1972), andBlue Is the Warmest Colour (2013) as her inspirations for the film. The main cast joined the project between October and December 2013.Principal photography commenced in December 2013 and concluded in February 2014. Reshoots involving scenes between Dornan and Johnson took place in Vancouver during the week of October 2014.Danny Elfman was hired to compose the film's score.
Twenty-one year old Anastasia "Ana" Steele is anEnglish literature major atWashington State University Vancouver inVancouver, Washington. When her roommate, Kate Kavanagh, catches a cold and is unable to interview Christian Grey, a twenty-seven year oldbillionaireentrepreneur, for thecollegenewspaper, Ana agrees to take Kate's place. At Christian's Seattle headquarters, she stumbles her way through the meeting. Christian, who is that year's WSUcommencement speaker, takes an interest in her, and she in him. Soon after, he visits thehardware store where Ana works and offers to do a photo shoot to accompany the article for which she had interviewed him.
Christian asks Ana out for coffee, but leaves abruptly after she confesses to being a romantic, saying he is not the man for her. He later sends her first edition copies of twoThomas Hardy novels, includingTess of the d'Urbervilles, as a gift, with a quote from the latter book about the dangers of relationships on an accompanying card. Ana and her friends celebrate graduation at a local bar. After drinking too much, she calls Christian, saying she is returning the books, and berating him for his behavior towards her. He goes to the bar to find her, arriving just as her photographer friend, José Rodriquez, attempts to kiss her against her will. Ana, suddenly sick, throws up and passes out. The next morning, she wakes up in Christian's hotel room, relieved that nothing sexual happened between them.
After the two make out in an elevator, and he takes her for a ride in his helicopter, a romance starts to develop. He insists, however, that she sign anon-disclosure agreement preventing her from revealing details about their relationship. He explains that he is a dominant who engages in sexualbondage relationships, but only as defined in a contract between the participants. Ana reveals that she is avirgin. While considering the agreement and negotiating her own terms, and after briefly visiting his "Red Room," a place stocked with a bed and a variety of whips and shackles, she and Christian spend the night together.
The next morning, after making pancakes and meeting Christian's adoptive mother, the two go for a drive, during which Christian explains that he was introduced to his dominant practices at age fifteen by a woman Ana dubs "Mrs. Robinson". His parents know nothing about this, even though "Mrs. Robinson" was and still is a friend of the family.
Christian bestows a series of gifts and favors upon Ana, including a new car and a laptop. After she and Kate move to Seattle, he insists that she go over his contract before moving forward. After looking into it in some detail, Ana initially says no, but is persuaded otherwise and finds herself willingly giving her consent.
During dinner at his parents' home, Ana suddenly mentions she is leaving the next day to visit her mother inGeorgia. This makes Christian angry, especially when she says she wants more than the one-sided relationship he's proposing. She then goes to Georgia, visits a lounge for cocktails, and is shocked when Christian shows up. He meets her mother, takes Ana air gliding, then returns to Seattle to tend to a business emergency.
After returning home, Ana and Christian have a night in his "Red Room". She consents to what he wants, but he remains emotionally distant, upsetting her. While still considering the contract, and in an effort to understand Christian's psychology, Ana asks him to demonstrate the worst punishment he would inflict on her for rule-breaking. He whips her with his belt, making her count each stroke out loud.
Crushed, she declares her love for him, but says his behavior is unacceptable. He replies that he is too psychologically broken to have the relationship that she wants. Devastated and depressed, Ana leaves Christian, and he promises to send her a check for the old car he sold without her consent. As he goes after her, Ana orders him to stop. Christian tries to plead with her, saying her name, and Ana cuts him off by saying his own name, turning his plea into a farewell as the elevator doors close.
Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey, a 27-year-old billionaire, entrepreneur, and CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.Charlie Hunnam was originally cast in the role, but left the film due to his schedule conflicts.[4]
Eloise Mumford as Katherine "Kate" Kavanagh,[5] Anastasia's best friend/roommate who begins a relationship with Christian's older brother, Elliot Grey.
In an interview in June 2017, Taylor-Johnson cited difficulties working with author E. L. James, causing her to leave the series. She said: "I can never say I regret it because that would just finish me off. With the benefit of hindsight would I go through it again? Of course I wouldn't. I'd be mad."[34]
The studio originally wantedRyan Gosling for Christian, but he was not interested in the role.[41]Garrett Hedlund was also considered, but he could not connect with the character.[41]Stephen Amell said he would not have wanted to play the role of Grey because "I actually didn't find him to be that interesting ... nothing about Christian Grey really spoke to me."[45]Paul Walker was also considered for the role of Christian Grey, but died in a car accident in November 2013.[46] Hunnam initially turned down the role of Christian but later reconsidered it, following a meeting with studio heads.[47] Hunnam said of the audition process: "I felt really intrigued and excited about it so I went and read the first book to get a clearer idea of who this character was, and I felt even more excited at the prospect of bringing him to life. We [Taylor-Johnson and I] kind of both suggested I do a reading with Dakota, who was her favorite, and as soon as we got in the room and I started reading with Dakota I knew that I definitely wanted to do it. There's just like a tangible chemistry between us. It felt exciting and fun and weird and compelling."[48] In response to the negative reaction that the casting drew from fans, producer Dana Brunetti said: "There is a lot that goes into casting that isn't just looks. Talent, availability, their desire to do it, chemistry with other actor, etc. So if your favorite wasn't cast, then it is most likely due to something on that list. Keep that in mind while hating and keep perspective."[49]
In September, filming was scheduled to start on November 5, 2013, inVancouver,British Columbia.[55] The following month, producerMichael De Luca announced filming would begin on November 13, 2013.[56]Principal photography was again delayed and eventually started on December 1, 2013.[57] Scenes were filmed in theGastown district of Vancouver.[58]Bentall 5 was used as the Grey Enterprises building.[59][60]
TheUniversity of British Columbia serves asWashington State University Vancouver, from which Ana graduates.[61] TheFairmont Hotel Vancouver was used as theHeathman Hotel.[62][63] The film was also shot at theNorth Shore Studios.[64] The production officially ended on February 21, 2014.[65] Reshoots involving scenes between Dornan and Johnson took place in Vancouver during the week of October 13, 2014.[66] The film was shot under the working title "The Adventures of Max and Banks."[67] Uncredited screenwriter Mark Bomback said he "had never been on a project with that much secrecy around it...The set was on lockdown".[68]
In analternative ending, both Ana and Christian experience flashbacks. Christian jogs in the rain, while Ana sobs in her apartment. Christian encounters a gift Ana gave him with the note: "This reminded me of a happy time. —Ana".[70]
Jamie Dornan at the world premiere ofFifty Shades of Grey, Berlinale 2015
In February 2013, Universal chairman Adam Fogelson said the film "could be ready to release ... as early as next summer."[77] The studio initially announced an August 1, 2014, release.[78] However, in November 2013, it was pushed back to February 13, 2015, in time forValentine's Day.[79]Fifty Shades of Grey was first screened at the65th Berlin International Film Festival on February 11, 2015.[80] The film was released in 75IMAX screens across the US on February 13, 2015.[81][82]
On January 25, 2014, more than a year prior to release, Universal displayed posters with the phrase, "Mr. Grey will see you now", in five locations across the United States.[83]
On July 9, 2014, the book's author, E. L. James, said on Twitter that the film'strailer would be released on July 24, 2014.[84]Beyoncé debuted a teaser for the trailer on herInstagram account five days before the trailer's release.[85] On July 24, Dornan and Johnson were onThe Today Show to present part of the trailer appropriate for morning television; the full trailer, which contained more racy scenes, was released later the same day on the internet (200 days before its initial theatrical release). The trailer featured a new version of "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé, which was scored and arranged by her frequent collaboratorBoots.[86][87][88][89] The trailer was viewed 36.4 million times in the week after its July 24 release. This made it the most viewed trailer onYouTube in 2014, until it was surpassed in October by the trailer forAvengers: Age of Ultron.[90] However, in mid-December the trailer reached 93 million views and was again the most viewed of 2014.[91] The trailer accumulated over 100 million views in its first week of release through different channels and websites, becoming the biggest trailer ever released in history.[92] By February 2015, the trailer had been viewed more than 193 million times on YouTube alone.[93] And, by late February,Fifty Shades of Grey–related material garnered over 329 million views, including 113 million views for its official trailer.[clarification needed][89] A second trailer was released on November 13, 2014.[94] A third trailer aired duringSuper Bowl XLIX, on February 1, 2015.[95]
The film was promoted through an ad campaign that asked people whether they were "curious".[96] Nick Carpou, Universal's president of domestic distribution, said: "Our campaign gave people permission to see the film."[97] "Valentines is a big deal for couples and a great relationship event, and the date with the long Presidents Day weekend created a perfect storm for us. This date positioned us to take full advantage of the romance angle, which is how we sold the film in our marketing campaign," he said.[98]
There was initial speculation that the film could receive anNC-17 rating in the United States. Studios typically steer away from the adults-only rating due to the impact the classification has on a film's commercial viability, with some theater chains refusing to exhibit NC-17-rated films. While screenwriter Marcel said she expected the film to be NC-17-rated,[99] producer De Luca anticipated the less restrictive R rating.[100] On January 5, 2015, theMPAA did give the film an R rating, basing its decision on "strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and language."[101]
On January 30, inAustralia, the film was rated MA15+ by theACB for "strong sex scenes, sexual themes and nudity".[102] On February 2, 2015, the BritishBBFC classified the film an18 certificate, mentioning "strong sex".[2] InCanada,Ontario,Manitoba,Alberta, and British Columbia, the film was rated at 18A by theOFRB,MFCB, AFR, andBCFCO, respectively, due to its "occasional upsetting or disturbing scenes, and partial or full nudity in a brief sexual situation."[103][104] InQuebec, theRégie du cinéma rated the movie under the 16+ category for its eroticism.[105] InFrance, the film earned a 12 rating.[106] InLebanon, the film earned an NC-21 rating.[107] InArgentina, theAdvisory Commission of Cinematographic Exhibition (the rating arm of theINCAA) rated the film SAM16/R.[108] InMexico, the film earned a C rating, which is equivalent to that no person under the age of 18 could enter to see the feature film for any reason.
Anti-pornography watchdog groupMorality in Media argued that the film's R rating "severely undermines the violent themes in the film and does not adequately inform parents and patrons of the film's content", and that theMPAA was encouraging sexual violence by letting the film by without an NC-17 rating.[109]
The sex scenes were censored after protests from various religious groups in thePhilippines, and as a result it is in limited release in that country with an R-18 rating from theMTRCB.[111] A similarly cut version was released inZimbabwe.[119]
Roughly 20 minutes were cut from the film for screening inVietnam, leaving no sex scenes. The scene in which Ana is beaten with a belt is skipped entirely.[120]
On February 2, inMichigan, a man petitioned to halt the film's release at a localCelebration! Cinema. Despite the man's efforts, the president of the cinemas declined to cancel the release of the film. He said, "We've been in business for 70 years and people often times object to content, and it's not our job to censor the content of a widespread movie. It's not in our best interest. It's not in the community's best interest." The film sold 3,000 tickets before the release and was expected to sell a total of 10,000 tickets.[121][122]
Thomas Williams of theNotre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture commented on the release of the film in the United States onValentine's Day, stating "The irony of Universal Pictures' decision to release its bondage-erotica film Fifty Shades of Grey on the day dedicated to honoring a Christian martyr has not gone unnoticed to many observers, who seem to find the choice unclassy at best."[citation needed]
Fifty Shades of Grey was released viaDVD andBlu-ray on May 8, 2015. The Blu-ray edition features an unrated cut of the film;[123] the version includes an additional three minutes of footage, the bulk of which are in the form of an alternative ending.
Upon its release on home media in the U.S., the film topped both the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks combined Blu-ray Disc and DVD sales, as well as the Blu-ray Disc sales chart for two consecutive weeks up to the week ending May 17, 2015.[124]
Fifty Shades of Grey grossed $166.2 million in the United States and Canada and $403.5 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $569.7 million, against a budget of $40 million.[3] It became the third highest-grossing film directed by a woman at the time of release (behindMamma Mia! andKung Fu Panda 2),[125] and at the time of the end of its theatrical run, it was the fourth-highest-grossing R-rated film of all time (behindThe Hangover Part II,The Passion of the Christ, andThe Matrix Reloaded).[126]Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $256.55 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues for the film.[127]
Tickets went on sale in the United States from January 11, 2015.[93] According to ticket-selling siteFandango,Fifty Shades of Grey is the fastest-selling R-rated title in the site's 15-year history, surpassingSex and the City 2.[128] It also had the biggest first week of ticket sales on Fandango for a non-sequel film, surpassing 2012'sThe Hunger Games.[128][129] It is fourth overall on Fandango's list of top advance ticket sales behindThe Twilight Saga: New Moon,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, andThe Hunger Games.[130] The demand prompted US theater owners to add new showtimes.[128][131] Weeks before the film's release, several box office analysts suggested as much as a $60 million domestic four-day opening[93][132][133][134][135] whileBox Office Mojo reported that a $100 million opening could be possible.[136]
Outside the United States,Fifty Shades of Grey pre-sold 4.5 million tickets in 39 markets.[137] In the UK, it sold £1.3 million (US$1.9 million) worth of tickets a week before release.[138] On release, it set several records at the box office, including:
In the US and Canada, it is the highest-grossing sex film,[147] theseventeenth-highest-grossing film of 2015,[148] and the fourth-highest-grossing romantic film of all time.[149] It opened in the US and Canada simultaneously withKingsman: The Secret Service on Thursday, February 12, 2015, across 2,830 theaters[150][151] and was widened to 3,646 theaters the next day making it the widest R-rated opening (surpassed byMad Max: Fury Road),[152] and the fourth-widest R-rated release of all time.[153] It earned $8.6 million from Thursday night previews which is the second-highest late-night gross for a film released in February (behindDeadpool) and the third-highest for an R-rated film (behindDeadpool andThe Hangover Part II).[150][154] The film topped the box office on its opening day grossing $30.2 million (including Thursday previews) from 3,646 theaters setting a record for highest February opening day (previously held byThe Passion of the Christ) and fourth-highest overall among R-rated films.[155][156] During its traditional three-day opening the film opened at No. 1 at the box office earning $85.1 million, setting records for the biggest opening weekend for a film released in February (a record previously held byThe Passion of the Christ).[143] Women comprised 82% of the total audiences during its opening day,[157] and 68% on Valentine's Day.[158]
Revenue from the second weekend dropped massively by 73.9% to $22.25 million, which is the second-biggest drop for a 3,000-plus-screen release (only behindFriday the 13th's 80.4% drop) and the biggest for a 3,500-plus-screen release.[159][160][161] It is just the eighth film to open on more than 3,000 screens to drop by 70% or more.[162] The film topped the box office for two consecutive weekends before falling to No. 4 in its third weekend whileFocus took the top spot.[163][164]
Outside the US and Canada, box-office analysts were predicting as much as $158 million opening.[165][166][167] It opened Wednesday, February 11, 2015, in four countries, earning $3.7 million.[168] It opened in 34 more countries on February 12, earning $28.6 million in two days.[169] The film set opening-day records for Universal Pictures in 25 markets and opening day records for an R-rated film in 34 territories.[166][167] Through Sunday, February 15, it earned an opening-weekend total of US$156 million from 58 countries from 10,979 screens (US$173.6 million through Monday) where it opened at No. 1 in 54 of the 58 countries, marking the biggest overseas opening for an R-rated film, the fourth-biggest of 2015, and Universal's third-biggest overseas opening weekend ever.[145] The film set an all-time opening record in 13 markets, Universal's biggest opening weekend ever in 30 markets and biggest opening for any R-rated film in 31 markets.[145]
The biggest opener outside of the United States was witnessed in the UK, Ireland and Malta, where it earned £13.55 million (US$20.8 million) in its opening weekend, which is the biggest debut ever for an 18-rated film and the second-biggest for a non-sequel film (behindI Am Legend).[170][171] In just 10 days of release it became the highest-grossing 18-rated film of all time.[172] It topped the UK box office for two consecutive weekends.[173] Other high openings include Germany (US$14.1 million), France (US$12.3 million), Russia (US$11 million), Italy (US$10.1 million), Spain (US$8.7 million), Brazil (US$8.3 million), Mexico (US$8.1 million), Australia (US$8 million).[145] In Japan, the film was unsuccessful opening at No. 5 with $682,000 but falling out of the top 10 the following week.[174][175]The Hollywood Reporter cited out possible reasons for the film's failure, attributing it to the "delayed release of the new Japanese-language editions of the books, poor timing for the film release and an R-15, re-edit blurring out parts of the sex scenes."[176]
It topped the box office outside of the US for three consecutive weekends[177] until it was overtaken byWarner Bros.'Jupiter Ascending in its fourth weekend.[178] It became Universal Pictures' highest-grossing R-rated film of all time overseas (breakingTed's record),[146] Universal Pictures' highest-grossing film in 14 countries,[nb 1] and Universal Pictures' eighth-highest-grossing film overseas.[179] In total earnings, its largest markets overseas are the UK, Ireland and Malta (US$52.5 million), Germany (US$43.7 million), Brazil (US$31.3 million), France (US$29.5 million), and Spain (US$22.6 million).[180][181][182]
Fifty Shades of Grey received mixed reviews, with criticism of its acting, screenplay, and pacing; some critics considered it an improvement over the book, and others praised its cinematography, production design and soundtrack. OnRotten Tomatoes the film has a 25% approval rating, with an average rating of 4.20/10 based on 280 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "While creatively better endowed than its print counterpart,Fifty Shades of Grey is a less than satisfying experience on the screen."[183]Metacritic gave the film a score of 46 out of 100, based on reviews from 46 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[184] InCinemaScore polls conducted during the opening weekend, cinema audiences gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale.[185]
Claudia Puig ofUSA Today wrote that "the dialogue is laughable, the pacing is sluggish and the performances are one-note."[186] Moira Macdonald ofThe Seattle Times wrote: "Fifty Shades of Grey the movie, for the record, is not quite as bad asFifty Shades of Grey the book. But that's not saying much".[187]We Got This Covered critic Isaac Feldberg gave the film one and a half stars out of five and wrote that it "feels like two, distinct films grappling for dominance over the screen: one a sensual and stylish romance, and the other a numbingly explicit Harlequin bodice-ripper brought to life. Regrettably, the latter and lesser of the two ends up on top".[188]The Guardian lead film criticPeter Bradshaw gave the film one star out of five, calling it "the most purely tasteful and softcore depiction of sadomasochism in cinema history" with "strictly daytimesoap" performances.[189]A. O. Scott ofThe New York Times called the film "terrible", but wrote that "it might nonetheless be a movie that feels good to see, whether you squirm or giggle or roll your eyes or just sit still and take your punishment."[190]
In a positive review forThe Daily Telegraph,Robbie Collin called the film "sexy, funny and self-aware in every way the original book isn't."[191] Elizabeth Weitzman of New York'sDaily News praised the directing, screenplay, and Johnson's performance, but called Dornan's performance, the leads' chemistry, and the supporting cast "underused". She praised the film for honoring the essence of its source and the director's way of balancing "atmosphere with action".[192] InThe Guardian, Jordan Hoffmann awarded the film three out of five stars, writing, "this big screen adaptation still manages to be about people, and even a little bit sweet", and that the sex scenes "are there to advance the plot, and only the most buttoned-up prude will be scandalised."[193]Lisa Schwarzbaum ofEntertainment Weekly gave the film a B−, writing: "This perfectly normal way of consuming erotica suggests that the movieFifty Shades of Grey will work better as home entertainment, when each viewer can race past the blah-blah about how well Christian plays the piano and pause on the fleeting image of the man minus his pants."[194] InThe Sydney Morning Herald, Timothy Laurie and Jessica Kean argue that "the film provides a language for decision-making around violence more developed than most Hollywood fodder", and that "film fleshes out an otherwise legalistic concept like 'consent' into a living, breathing, and at times, uncomfortable interpersonal experience. It dramatises the dangers of unequal negotiation and the practical complexity of identifying one's limits and having them respected."[195]
In June 2012, the film companySmash Pictures announced its intent to film apornographic version of theFifty Shades book trilogy, entitledFifty Shades of Grey: An XXX Adaptation.[202] A release date of January 10, 2013 was announced.[203] In November 2012, Universal, which had secured theFifty Shades film rights, filed a lawsuit against Smash Pictures, stating that the film violated its copyright in that it was not filmed as aparody adaptation but "copies without reservation from the unique expressive elements of theFifty Shades trilogy, progressing through the events ofFifty Shades of Grey and into the second book,Fifty Shades Darker".[204]
The lawsuit asked for an injunction, for the profits from all sales of the film, as well as damages,[205] saying that "a quickly and cheaply produced pornographic work [...] is likely to cause Plaintiffs irreparable harm by poisoning public perception of the Fifty Shades Trilogy and the forthcoming Universal films."[206] Smash Pictures responded to the lawsuit by issuing a counterclaim and requesting a continuance, stating that "much or all" of theFifty Shades material was part of thepublic domain because it was originally published in various venues as afan fiction based on theTwilight series. A lawyer for Smash Pictures further commented that the federal copyright registrations for the books were "invalid and unenforceable" and that the film "did not violate copyright or trademark laws".[207] The lawsuit was eventuallysettled out of court for an undisclosed sum and Smash Pictures agreed to stop any further production or promotion of the film.[208]
In April 2015,The Hollywood Reporter reported that E. L. James' husband, Niall Leonard, was enlisted to write the script for the film's sequel.[209] In the same month, at the 2015 UniversalCinemaCon inLas Vegas, Universal announced the release dates of the sequels, withFifty Shades Darker being released on February 10, 2017, andFifty Shades Freed was released on February 9, 2018.[210] However, the sequels did not seeSam Taylor-Johnson returning as director.[211] On August 20, 2015, the U.S.House of Cards directorJames Foley was a frontrunner to direct the sequel.[212] In November 2015, Universal Studios announced that the films would be shotback-to-back.[213]
A spoof version of the film,Fifty Shades of Black, was released on January 29, 2016, in North America.Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez wrote the script, in which Wayans stars asChristian Black. The film was distributed by SquareOne Entertainment in Germany andOpen Road Films in the United States;[214]IM Global produce and finance it, as well as handling international releases.Kali Hawk parodied the role of Anastasia Steele, with supporting cast includingAffion Crockett,Mike Epps,Jane Seymour,Andrew Bachelor andFred Willard.[215] It was released theatrically on January 29, 2016, and described as less funny "than the unintentionally-funny film it's trying to lampoon."[216]
^ It is Universal Pictures' highest-grossing film of all time in Brazil, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Venezuela, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Paraguay, Romania, Serbia/Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.[179]
^Bradshaw, Pete (February 12, 2015)."Fifty Shades Of Grey Review".We Got This Covered. London.Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. RetrievedFebruary 12, 2015.
Steve Baker,Ricky Blitt, Will Carlough, Tobias Carlson, Jacob Fleisher, Patrik Forsberg, Will Graham,James Gunn, Claes Kjellstrom, Jack Kukoda,Bob Odenkirk, Bill O'Malley, Matthew Alec Portenoy,Greg Pritikin, Rocky Russo,Olle Sarri, Elizabeth Wright Shapiro,Jeremy Sosenko, Jonathan van Tulleken, and Jonas Wittenmark (2013)
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