History Trivia / FiftyShadesOfGrey

* BTeamSequel: Sam Taylor-Johnson refused to consider returning for the sequel. She cited frequent clashes with E.L. James, who had received final approval on everything from the studio, as a source of much frustration. She was replaced by James Foley, who stated to have a "great relationship" with the author, and worked on both of the sequels.

* ApprovalOfGod: Creator/StephenieMeyer has [[http://www.mtv.com/news/1685954/fifty-shades-of-grey-stephenie-meyer/ stated]] that, even though she's never read the books and probably never will, she still supports E. L. James in her endeavors -- no small feat given that Meyer is a devout Mormon and the books began life as sexually explicit fanfiction of her ''[[Literature/TheTwilightSaga Twilight]]'' novels.

* DawsonCasting: Elena 'Mrs Robinson' Lincoln is said to be in her [[VagueAge late 30's or 40's]] in the books. In the films, she's played by Creator/KimBasinger, who was nearly ''63'' during filming.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Director Sam Taylor-Johnson and author/producer E.L James reportedly got into a lot of arguments over the first film, including arguing on-set. James vetoed many of Taylor-Johnson's attempts to change the plot and characters, while the director originally aimed for a more PragmaticAdaptation. As a consequence, Taylor-Johnson refused to direct the sequels and expressed regret over making the film at all, citing her issues with James and their CreativeDifferences.

* LifeImitatesArt: in possibly the most sinister example of the trope this film has spawned what is known as the "50 Shades of Grey defence". Men accused of rape and murder have instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter (which carries a far lighter sentence), stating that their victim was a fan of '50 Shades of Grey' and wanted to be strangled during sex, resulting in their accidental death.

* StarMakingRole: For Creator/DakotaJohnson and Creator/JamieDornan. Dornan had technically already gained fame for his roles as Sheriff Graham in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' and especially as Paul Spector in ''Series/TheFall'', though playing Christian helped make him an international household name. Johnson had appeared in a few notable films in supporting roles, with Anastasia being one of her first starring roles.

* TheWikiRule: [[http://fiftyshadesofgrey.wikia.com/wiki/Fifty_Shades_Of_Grey_Wiki Fifty Shades of Grey Wiki]].

** Creator/CharlieHunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, but left due to CreativeDifferences. Creator/RobertPattinson was said to be E.L. James' personal choice[[note]]which results in FridgeBrilliance when you remember that ''Fifty Shades'' started as Bella-Edward ''[[Literature/TheTwilightSaga'' Twilight]]'' fanfiction[[/note]] , and Creator/RyanGosling was the studio's first choice. Creator/MattBomer, Creator/HenryCavill, Creator/DominicCooper, Creator/ScottEastwood, Creator/ChrisEvans, Creator/ArmieHammer, Creator/ChrisHemsworth, Creator/AlexPettyfer and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard were all considered, but none of them wanted the role. Creator/IanSomerhalder was reportedly considered for the role, although he didn't get the part as it would conflict with his schedule for ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.

** Creator/CharlieHunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, but left due to CreativeDifferences. Creator/RobertPattinson was said to be E.L. James' personal choice[[note]]which results in FridgeBrilliance when you remember that ''Fifty Shades'' started as Bella-Edward ''[[Literature/TheTwilightSaga'' Twilight'' fanfiction[[/note]] , and Creator/RyanGosling was the studio's first choice. Creator/MattBomer, Creator/HenryCavill, Creator/DominicCooper, Creator/ScottEastwood, Creator/ChrisEvans, Creator/ArmieHammer, Creator/ChrisHemsworth, Creator/AlexPettyfer and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard were all considered, but none of them wanted the role. Creator/IanSomerhalder was reportedly considered for the role, although he didn't get the part as it would conflict with his schedule for ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.

* To maintain secrecy, the first film was shot under the title ''The Adventures of Max & Banks''. The sequels (shot back-to-back) were referred to as "The Adventures of Max & Banks 2 & 3''.

* ApprovalOfGod: Creator/StephenieMeyer has [[http://www.mtv.com/news/1685954/fifty-shades-of-grey-stephenie-meyer/ stated]] that, even though she's never read the books and probably never will, she still supports E. L. James in her endeavors -- no small feat given that Meyer is a devout Mormon and the books began life as sexually explicit fanfiction of her ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' novels.

* DivorcedInstallment: Started life as a ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' AlternateUniverse fanfic before being turned into an original story.

* HypotheticalCasting: According to Creator/BretEastonEllis, E.L. James' first choice for Christian Grey was Creator/RobertPattinson, but she felt that casting him and Creator/KristenStewart again after ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' would be weird.

** Creator/CharlieHunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, but left due to CreativeDifferences. Creator/RobertPattinson was said to be E.L. James' personal choice[[note]]which results in FridgeBrilliance when you remember that ''Fifty Shades'' started as Bella-Edward ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' fanfiction[[/note]] , and Creator/RyanGosling was the studio's first choice. Creator/MattBomer, Creator/HenryCavill, Creator/DominicCooper, Creator/ScottEastwood, Creator/ChrisEvans, Creator/ArmieHammer, Creator/ChrisHemsworth, Creator/AlexPettyfer and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard were all considered, but none of them wanted the role. Creator/IanSomerhalder was reportedly considered for the role, although he didn't get the part as it would conflict with his schedule for ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.

** Creator/SamaraWeaving revealed she actually auditioned for Ana and got a callback for it though she didn't get the part. Her parents helped out in her tape, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvhcE1PMcUg she hilariously recounts here with Seth Meyers]].

* NamesTheSame: Mr. Grey: Hot stalker billionaire {{jerkass}} or [[Literature/{{Dreamcatcher}} shit-weasel alien]] intent on destroying Earth?

** Creator/CharlieHunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, but left due to CreativeDifferences. Creator/RobertPattinson was said to be E.L. James' personal choice[[note]]which results in FridgeBrilliance when you remember that ''Fifty Shades'' started as Bella-Edward ''Literature/{{Twilight}} fanfiction[[/note]] , and Creator/RyanGosling was the studio's first choice. Creator/MattBomer, Creator/HenryCavill, Creator/DominicCooper, Creator/ScottEastwood, Creator/ChrisEvans, Creator/ArmieHammer, Creator/ChrisHemsworth, Creator/AlexPettyfer and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard were all considered, but none of them wanted the role. Creator/IanSomerhalder was reportedly considered for the role, although he didn't get the part as it would conflict with his schedule for ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.

** Creator/CharlieHunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, but left due to CreativeDifferences. Creator/RobertPattinson was said to be E.L. James' personal choice, and Creator/RyanGosling was the studio's first choice. Creator/MattBomer, Creator/HenryCavill, Creator/DominicCooper, Creator/ScottEastwood, Creator/ChrisEvans, Creator/ArmieHammer, Creator/ChrisHemsworth, Creator/AlexPettyfer and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard were all considered, but none of them wanted the role. Creator/IanSomerhalder was reportedly considered for the role, although he didn't get the part as it would conflict with his schedule for ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.

** The film was not banned in China; the studio [[http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/02/13/film-fiftyshades-idINKBN0LH2E620150213 didn't even try]] to release it there, knowing that it wouldn't pass the censor board.

* OldShame:
** Sam Taylor-Johnson stated that [[http://screenrant.com/fifty-shades-director-sam-taylor-johnson-regret-conflict/ she regrets having directed the film]], citing her difficulties working with E. L. James as one of the main reasons, and that the final film ended up being completely different from her original vision.
** Screenwriter Kelly Marcel [[https://www.vulture.com/2015/06/kelly-marcel-has-not-seen-fifty-shades.html admitted]] feeling disappointed over how most of her ideas were thrown out by E.L James (like Sam Taylor-Johnson, Marcel wanted to make a more PragmaticAdaptation). She also admitted she hadn't even seen the finished film.

* ReleaseDateChange: The first film was originally supposed to be released on 1st August 2014, but was later bumped back to a 14th February 2015 to line up with Valentine's Day.

** Creator/LucyHale and .

** While Dakota Johnson doesn't regret starring in the films overall, she did state in a 2022 interview with ''Vanity Fair'' that she found making the first film difficult due to the constant clashing between Sam Taylor-Johnson and E.L. James, with the script frequently being rewritten or scenes reshot to fit one creator's vision over the other and the actors forced to go along. Johnson stated that "I signed up to do a very different version of the film we ended up making", hinting she preferred the original script that was thrown out after Charlie Hunnam left the project. She also stated that she felt there were parts of the book that just didn't translate well onscreen despite James' demands for their inclusion. Johnson referred to the filming process as "crazy" and "psychotic", and said that if she'd known at the time what it be like "I don't think anyone would've done it".

** Creator/CharlieHunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, but left due to CreativeDifferences. Creator/RobertPattinson was said to be E.L. James' personal choice, and Creator/RyanGosling was the studio's first choice. Creator/MattBomer, Creator/HenryCavill, Creator/DominicCooper, Creator/ScottEastwood, Creator/ChrisEvans, Creator/ArmieHammer, Creator/ChrisHemsworth, Creator/AlexPettyfer and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard were all considered, but none of them wanted the role.
** Creator/LilyCollins, Creator/LucyHale, Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Creator/FelicityJones, Creator/RooneyMara, Creator/ElizabethOlsen, Creator/DaniellePanabaker, Creator/MargotRobbie, Creator/AliciaVikander, Creator/EmmaWatson, Creator/OliviaWilde and Creator/ShaileneWoodley were considered for Anastasia. As with their male counterparts, none of them wanted the role.

** Creator/StevenSoderbergh, and Creator/JoeWright were considered to direct. Creator/AngelinaJolie was offered the job, but declined.

* CreatorBacklash: E.L. James stated in a 2019 interview that she had "a miserable time" making the ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' movie (possibly because of the constant disagreements with the director) and that she found writing ''Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian'' to be "cathartic" at that time.[[note]] both were released in 2015[[/note]]

** Sam Taylor-Johnson stated that [[http://screenrant.com/fifty-shades-director-sam-taylor-johnson-regret-conflict/ she regrets having directed the film]], citing her difficulties working with E. L. James as one of the main reasons.

* FandomLifeCycle: The series sat at Stage 3, bordering Stage 4 at the height of its success in the 2010's. It became popular very quickly after its publication, but it also ended up with a ''lot'' of detractors. Both the books and films were profitable and they're well-known in pop culture by now, but more out of infamy than widespread popularity.

* DivorcedInstallment: Started life as a ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' fanfic before being turned into an original story.

* StarMakingRole: For Creator/DakotaJohnson and Creator/JamieDornan. Dornan had technically already gained fame for his roles as Sheriff Graham in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' and especially as Paul Spector in ''Series/TheFall'', though playing Christian made him an international household name. Johnson had appeared in a few notable films in supporting roles, with Anastasia being one of her first starring roles.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Director Sam Taylor-Johnson and author/producer E.L James reportedly got into a lot of arguments over the first film, including arguing on-set. James veoted many of Taylor-Johnson's attempts to change the plot and characters, while the director originally aimed for a more PragmaticAdaptation. As a consequence, Taylor-Johnson refused to direct the sequels and expressed regret over making the film at all, citing her issues with James and their CreativeDifferences.

* StarMakingRole: For Creator/DakotaJohnson and Creator/JamieDornan.

* HypotheticalCasting: Lots of fans wanted to see Creator/MattBomer in the role of Christian Grey. A producer said that Matt wasn't straight enough for it, causing much outrage.

* DivorcedInstallment: Started life as a Twilight fanfic before being turned into an original story.

* CaliforniaDoubling: The movie was almost entirely shot in Canada - even Washington State University Vancouver[[note]](yes, there's a place in Washington State called Vancouver)[[/note]] was played by the University of British Columbia.

** Creator/EmiliaClarke, Creator/LilyCollins, Creator/LucyHale, Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Creator/FelicityJones, Creator/RooneyMara, Creator/ElizabethOlsen, Creator/DaniellePanabaker, Creator/MargotRobbie, Creator/AliciaVikander, Creator/EmmaWatson, Creator/OliviaWilde and Creator/ShaileneWoodley were considered for Anastasia. As with their male counterparts, none of them wanted the role.
*** Emilia Clarke did state in an interview that she found Sam Taylor-Johnson's vision for the film interesting (presumably this was before all the conflict between Taylor-Johnson and E.L James for creative control), but still turned down the role because she didn't want to only be known for nudity and sexual content after her role as [[Series/GameOfThrones Daenerys]].[[note]]Clarke has expressed exasperation over constantly being asked about nude scenes in regards to Daenerys, even though she actually doesn't take her clothes off much after the first season and there's a lot more to the character than fanservice[[/note]]