Los Angeles, Mar 26 (EFE).- British director Sam Taylor-Johnson, who directed “Fifty Shades of Grey”, has said that she will not return to direct the sequel.

“Directing Fifty Shades of Grey has been an intense and incredible journey for which I am hugely grateful. I have Universal to thank for that,” Taylor-Johnson said in a statement posted by Deadline on Wednesday.

“I forged close and lasting relationships with the cast, producers and crew and most especially, with Dakota (Johnson) and Jamie (Dornan),” she said.

“While I will not be returning to dirct the sequels, I wish nothing but success to whosoever takes on the exciting challenges of films two and three,” Taylor-Johnson added.

The film adaptation of the first book of the E.L. James trilogy earned more than $500 million worldwide.

Although the director of the new film is yet to be confirmed, both co-stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are set to reprise their respective roles as Anastasia Steele and the multi-millionaire Christian Grey.

Taylor-Johnson had several problems with the studio and the novels’ author over creative control and the film’s direction, according to media reports. EFE