Earning over $525 million worldwide, it’s safe to say that movie audiences have been eager to get kinky with "Fifty Shades Of Grey," but Universal might be feeling they’ve been whipped and tied every step of the way with this potential franchise. From on set battles between author E.L. James and Sam Taylor-Johnson, to more wrangling with the writer over who gets to pen "Fifty Shades Darker," keeping momentum moving on the successful series has been difficult. And now, the studio is getting ready to have a potential fight on their hands.
THR reports that the film’s leads Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are looking for pay raises for "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed." And who could blame them? Both were paid $250,000 for the first film with no back end compensation (though they did get bonuses tied to box office results) ensuring Universal had a very healthy profit on the drama that cost a mere $40 million. Reportedly, the actors are looking for an increase not dissimilar to what Jennifer Lawrence received following "The Hunger Games" — she went from $500,000 to $10 million. The difference though is that Lawrence, in the same year the YA franchise starter came out, also starred in "Silver Linings Playbook," which bagged her an Oscar and solidified the actress as a major box office draw. The same can’t be said for either Johnson or Dornan.
Meanwhile, Universal is eager to keep costs down and profit margins high, while producer Dana Brunetti seems to suggest they should be capitalizing on the success of ‘Fifty Shades’ elsewhere. "That was the great thing about this film — we knew we were going to be able to make stars," he told the trade. "Now it’s their opportunity to get paid on other projects. It’s been a breakout role for both of them. I’m sure they are getting tons of offers on other things."
The plan right now is to shoot the sequel in early 2016 for a 2017 release… but in order to do that, Universal and co. will have to get a script, find a director, and satisfy E.L. James along with the film’s leads. There’s still a very long road ahead.
Mr. Brunetti is used to following a certain model (like many folks), use a $40-$55 million dollar budget and make $200 million plus on the returns. It has worked out great, but those were single film projects, not a franchise. His statements were out of touch, crass, and exceedingly arrogant. Pay the lead actors the right amount of money. They deserve it.
Why in the hell would you sign them for this without locking them into a three picture deal? They deserve to get fleeced for making a mistake that stupid.
They both deserve more money, everyone should gain from the success of the stats movie, your two leads create the story just as much as the writer of the book,,, so why should they no gain more, We want them back, so pay up Universal your and James are laughing your asses to the bank.
Well for there to be any profit at all for a second installment, they will have to pay up. Please tell me why they shouldn\’t get an immense payday for a film that could actually cut short a serious career. Just because the film made this much doesn\’t mean the gravy train will be sustainable for either actor.
Also, the filmmakers should have seen up their contracts before completion of the first. If it didn\’t make money, they simply wouldn\’t have made the sequels.
Better get those checks before the 15 minutes count down to zero.
With that quote, Dana Brunetti is like the A-list version of those dudes on Craigslist who want artists to put in hundreds of hours of work on a film for free because "it\’s good exposure!" What a turd of a statement.
If I were the studio I would cast new people in the leads for each film. I don\’t think it would affect the box office one bit. In fact it might create more interest and curiosity. Remember, no one went to the first film to see Dakota and Jamie.
Why the hell should they get PAID on other projects? Why can\’t they get paid on WHAT MADE THEM A STAR? That\’s bullshit..that film has made more money than most studio releases that pay actors millions, just plain greed and pay them what they are worth.
Without the two leads, the franchise would be dead in the water. Despite what people felt about the movie, you can\’t exactly change the two leads and hope it\’ll sell like the first one did. Dakota and Jamie stuck with the project despite the negativity surrounding the film from haters (myself being one of them lol). Give them what they deserve.
Yes they should capitalize, but the studio still has to bump up their pay them what they\’re worth on this franchise.