‘Fifty Shades Darker’ Star Jamie Dornan The Reason Behind Production Delays? Plus The Latest Casting Rumors

Fifty Shades Darker has seen its fair share of delays throughout this past year. From setbacks caused by not having a director to producers falling behind on casting, many are starting to wonder if the movie will hit its targeted release date on time. With filming for the Fifty Shades of Grey sequel set to begin in a few months, new reports have been surfacing that indicate Jamie Dornan may be contributing to even further delays.

As previously reported here at the Inquisitr, the issue with the Fifty Shades Darker star involves his growing family. Dornan is having another child with his wife, Amelia Warner, and wants to have a break as his family prepares for their new addition. In light of this news, Dornan has request some time off in order to spend a little more time with his wife and child.

With the movie already struggling to stay on schedule, Dornan’s request for additional time off would certainly have an impact on the production of the movie. In combination with all the casting delays, this recent bid by Dornan might push filming back even further than its expected start early in the new year.

If this is the case, then it is possible that the movie might not be finished in time for a 2017 release. Then again, 2017 is a long ways away, so producers still have plenty of time to get things in order. Either way, more time off for the movie’s leading man is not a good sign at this point.

Meanwhile, in regards to casting news, producers have yet to make any significant advances. With Fifty Shades Darker set to introduce a number of different characters, including Jack Hyde, Mrs. Robinson or Elena Lincoln, and Leila Williams, filmmakers have a lot of work to do before production can begin.

In fact, although these new faces will undoubtedly add a little depth into the new movie, News Everyday is reporting that filmmakers are nowhere near casting the parts.

“We’re nowhere near casting. We haven’t gotten into anything like that… We don’t even have a casting director on it yet.”

Although Dornan (Christian Grey) and Dakota Johnson (Anastasia Steele) are returning to star in the lead roles in the movie, these secondary characters are pivotal to the plot in the second film. In fact, given their importance, there have been a number of top Hollywood names linked to the roles. These high profile names include the likes of Ian Somerhalder, Cara Delevingne, Theo James, Charlize Theron, Henry Cavill, and Alexis Bledel.

At this point, however, it is not known if any of these actors are even interested in the parts or if they are actually being considered for the roles by the filmmakers. With producers yet to even hire a casting director, it is anyone’s guess when casting announcements will be made and who will eventually take the parts.

At the same time, if producers don’t move soon, then the multiple delays may affect when the film is actually released to the public. With only a few months away from filming, it is likely that things will start to fall in place as producers will begin to cast these all important roles. Whether this happens in time to prevent further delays is yet to be seen.

In the meantime, fans can rest assured that the movie at least has a new director in James Foley. Foley is known for his work on Netflix’s hit political drama, House of Cards, and should be able to offer a unique take on the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise.

While we all wait to hear more about further delays, Fifty Shades Darker is scheduled to premiere in theaters everywhere on February 10, 2017.

[Image via Universal Pictures]