‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ Passes $500 Million At Global Box Office

Fifty Shades of Grey has now made more than $500million at the box office worldwide, making it one of the highest-earning explicit films of all time.

The big screen adaptation of E.L James’ book may not have been a success with the critics, but it has surpassed all expectations to become a box office smash.

Having boasted one of the strongest openings for an 18-rated film ever, it has now surpassed Ted to become Universal Pictures’ highest-grossing explicit international release ever.

Other R-rated (the American equivalent of an 18 rating) films now left trailing by Fifty Shades include Pretty Woman, Gladiator, The Exorcist and The Matrix.

It still has some way to go to match the highest-grossing explicit film ever, with 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded raking in a total of $742million worldwide.

According to Forbes, Fifty Shades is also one of the highest-grossing live-action films directed by a woman, second only to Mamma Mia.

But director Sam Taylor-Johnson might not be back for the film’s sequels, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

While the two books have been optioned by Universal and now seem certain to make it to cinemas, Taylor-Johnson has reportedly pulled out of the franchise.

She has publicly admitted to ‘proper on-set barneys’ with E.L James over the direction of the film, with the author reportedly having final say over everything – including the script.

Source: Metro.co.uk