‘Fifty Shades Darker’ Casting News: Fans Weigh In On ‘Vampire Diaries’ Star Ian Somerhalder Or ‘Divergent’ Star Theo James As Jack Hyde

Now that Fifty Shades Darker has a new director and things seem to be heading on schedule, fans are left wondering who is going to play the all-important role of Jack Hyde. Ever Since Henry Cavill cleared up the reports that he was set to play the role of Hyde, two new candidates have surfaced as frontrunners: Ian Somerhalder and Theo James.

According to News Everyday, fans have already taken to social media to express their views on which actor is best suited for the villainous role. In the upcoming film, Hyde is Anastasia Steele’s (Dakota Johnson) new employer who does everything in his power to get with Ana. This quickly puts him at odds with Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), and it also sets up Hyde to be one of the main protagonists in the movie.

With that in mind, some fans believe that Somerhalder is ideal for the role based on his part as an enigmatic and secretive character on the Vampire Diaries. Somerhalder’s character on the hit TV series is the kind of person who doesn’t back down easily, even when confronted by considerable risks, which sounds a lot like Hyde.

However, others seem to think that Theo James, known for his role in Divergent, would be a better candidate, especially after his photo shoot with Hugo Boss. According to Realty Today, fans believe James’ role as Four in Divergent shows that he can exude the right amount of manliness necessary to play someone like Hyde.

Either way, producers have yet to announce who they are considering for the part of Hyde. Additionally, the roles of Elena Lincoln (Mrs. Robinson) and Leila Williams are in a similar position and have yet to be cast.

Meanwhile, with House of Cards‘ James Foley set to direct Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, Johnson recently stated that she is excited for the change of direction.

“It’s quite exciting. There was a moment of being afraid, because I didn’t know what it was going to be like. I had an experience with Sam [Taylor-Johnson] and then that all went away. Now I’m excited. I think James is a talented filmmaker. How often do you get to reconvene with the same people and have a different spin?”

Fifty Shades Darker, which is expected to begin production in a couple of months, is set to premiere in theaters February 10, 2017.

[Image Courtesy: The CW]