Title: The Drama Behind the Scenes – Director’s Exit from Fifty Shades Franchise
Director’s Departure
Taylor-Johnson did not return to the franchise, partly due to her struggles working with James, who exerted significant creative control. James even brought in her husband, Niall Leonard, to write the script for the sequels, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.
On-Set Conflicts
“We would have proper on-set barneys,” Taylor-Johnson revealed to Porter magazine in 2015. She mentioned, “I’m not confrontational, but it was about finding a way between the two of us, satisfying her vision of what she had written as well as my need to visualize this person on screen.”
Challenges and Resolutions
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2015, Taylor-Johnson acknowledged that it was not easy working with James. However, she mentioned, “people are going to butt heads, and that is exactly what happened.” James also admitted that the process was incredibly painful but they eventually reached a resolution.
Regrets and Reflections
In an interview with the Sunday Times magazine in 2017, Taylor-Johnson expressed that she does not regret doing the film outright. However, with hindsight, she conveyed, “would I go through it again? Of course I wouldn’t. I’d be mad.” She also shared her confusion about her lack of synergy with EL James, stating, “I like everyone, and I get really confused when they don’t like me. I was so confused by EL James.”