Fifty Shades Darker Adds Bella Heathcote as Christian Greys Ex

Bella Heathcote has been tapped to play Christian Grey’s former lover Leila in Universal’s sequel “Fifty Shades Darker,” sources confirmed for Variety.

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are returning to reprise their roles of Anastasia Steele and Grey, respectively, with James Foley taking over directing reins.

Luke Grimes, Eloise Mumford and Max Martini are also returning to the cast, with Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti producing along with James and Marcus Viscidi. Niall Leonard and “Fifty Shades” author E.L. James are penning the script.

Universal is planning to shoot “Fifty Shades Darker” and the final pic, “Fifty Shades Freed,” back-to-back, with “Darker” set to bow Feb. 10, 2017.

The first installment in the series was a massive hit, grossing $560 million worldwide, including $166 million domestically. Heathcote can currently be seen in “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” alongside Lily James and Sam Riley. She’s also in Nicolas Winding Refn’s “The Neon Demon,” which also stars Elle Fanning and Keanu Reeves, opening later this year.

She is repped by WME and JM Agendy in Australia; More/Medavoy Management; and Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.

Popular on Variety

Read More About:

• Bella Heathcote,
• Fifty Shades Darker

More from Variety

• 

  Tommy Cash, Country Musician and Brother of Johnny Cash, Dies at 84
• 

  ‘Until Dawn,’ ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remakes Show Relevancy of Retreading IP
• 

  Tito Jackson, Founding Member of the Jackson 5, Dies at 70
• 

  Maggie Smith, Star of ‘Downton Abbey,’ ‘Harry Potter,’ Dies at 89
• 

  Does Streaming Hurt Theaters? This Survey Says It Helps
• 

  Ken Page, Voice of Oogie Boogie and Original Cast Member of Broadway’s ‘Cats,’ Dies at 70

Most Popular

• Inside the 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Debacle: Todd Phillips ‘Wanted Nothing to Do’ With DC on the $200 Million Misfire

  

• ‘Menendez Brothers’ Netflix Doc Reveals Erik’s Drawings of His Abuse and Lyle Saying ‘I Would Much Rather Lose the Murder Trial Than Talk About Our…

  

• ‘Joker 2’ Axed Scene of Lady Gaga’s Lee Kissing a Woman at the Courthouse Because ‘It Had Dialogue in It’ and ‘Got in the Way’ of a Music…

  

• ‘Kaos’ Canceled After One Season at Netflix

  

• Kamala Harris Cracks Open a Miller High Life With Stephen Colbert on ‘The Late Show’

  

• Saoirse Ronan Says Losing Luna Lovegood Role in ‘Harry Potter’ Has ‘Stayed With Me Over the Years’: ‘I Was Too Young’ and ‘Knew I Wasn't Going to Get…

  

• Kathy Bates Won an Oscar and Her Mom Told Her: ‘You Didn't Discover the Cure for Cancer,’ So ‘I Don't Know What All the Excitement Is About…

  

• Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried to Star in ‘The Housemaid’ Adaptation From Director Paul Feig, Lionsgate

  

• Disney World, Universal Orlando Theme Park to Close as Florida Braces for Hurricane Milton

  

• Kamala Harris Watches Maya Rudolph’s ‘SNL’ Impression, Praises the Mannerisms: ‘She’s So Good!’

  

Must Read

• Film

  COVER | Sebastian Stan Tells All: Becoming Donald Trump and Starring in 2024’s Most Controversial Movie

  By Andrew Wallenstein 3 weeks

• TV

  Menendez Family Slams Netflix’s ‘Monsters’ as ‘Grotesque’ and ‘Riddled With Mistruths’: ‘The Character Assassination of Erik and Lyke Is Repulsive…

  
• TV

  ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Part 2 to Air on CBS After Paramount Network Debut

  
• TV

  50 Cent Sets Diddy Abuse Allegations Docuseries at Netflix: ‘It’s a Complex Narrative Spanning Decades’ (EXCLUSIVE)

  
• Shopping

  ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Sets Digital and Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates

  

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXKCjp%2BgpaVfo7K4v46foJ%2BsqWLAqa3DnqpmnJGnuKa%2BjJucpaSRYrWmrdOhmqislWJ%2Bc3yQb3BxbGdmfA%3D%3D