Niall Leonard is hired to write the screenplay for 'Fifty Shades Darker' as his wife demands more control over the adaptation of her books.
- Apr 23, 2015
AceShowbiz - "Fifty Shades of Grey" sequel will be scripted by Niall Leonard who is married to and has two sons with "Fifty Shades" author E.L. James. He is an author himself and a screenwriter whose credits include British TV shows like "Air Force One Is Down" and "Wire in the Blood".
Leonard also helped with the script for the first "Fifty Shade" adaptations, but he was not credited. "Niall is an outstanding writer in his own right, with multiple established credits, and we are lucky to have him join Team Fifty," producer Michael De Luca told The Hollywood Reporter.
E.L. James, whose real name is Erika Leonard, has creative control over the first movie and demands more over the upcoming two sequels. She previously clashed with Sam Taylor-Wood, who directed the first installment, about many aspects of the film including the ending.
Taylor-Wood won't return for the sequel which will be based on James' second book "Fifty Shades Darker". Screenwriter Kelly Marcel also opts to leave the franchise. Before Niall Leonard was hired, there were rumors that James offered to pen the second movie herself.
The first film arriving Valentine's Day this year was a big hit for Universal, collecting a cool $568.8 million worldwide despite little critical praise. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan played Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey respectively. They are reportedly negotiating for bigger salaries to reprise their lead roles.
