Fans who were worried they might tone down the Fifty Shades of Grey sequel have nothing to worry about, as Universal Pictures‘ Fifty Shades Darker has now officially been rated R by the MPAA for “strong erotic sexual content, some graphic nudity, and language.”
You can compare that to the first film, which received an R rating for “strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and for language.”
Fifty Shades Darker is scheduled to open in theaters on February 10, 2017.
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson are set to return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in both Fifty Shades Darker and the third film, Fifty Shades Freed. Expanding upon the events set in motion in Fifty Shades of Grey, the films will again aim to become the motion-picture events for Valentine’s Day 2017 and 2018. Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti, alongside E L James, also return to produce.
Eric Johnson, Bella Heathcote, Luke Grimes, Eloise Mumford, Max Martini, Tyler Hoechlin, Rita Ora, Marcia Gay Harden, Robin Lee, Fay Masterson and Hugh Dancy also star in Fifty Shades Darker. James Foley is directing “Darker” and “Freed,” which are penned by E L James’ husband, Niall Leonard.
An erotically charged romance, the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise has capitalized on it’s naughty-but-not-too-naughty aesthetic to the tune of more than $570 million worldwide.
“Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house,” reads the official description for the Fifty Shades Darker novel. “But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades. While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.”