# Fifty Shades Freed (film)
**Fifty Shades Freed** is a 2018 American erotic romantic drama film, the third and final installment of the *Fifty Shades* film trilogy, directed by James Foley from a screenplay by Niall Leonard based on E L James's novel of the same name. [Dakota Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/dakota-johnson) and [Jamie Dornan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-dornan) return as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, now newlyweds whose life of luxury is threatened by Ana's vengeful former boss, Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson).[1](https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/fifty-shades-freed) Universal Pictures released the film for the [Valentine's Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/valentines-day) corridor, with the earliest international openings on February 7, 2018 and the United States release on February 9.[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | February 7, 2018 (APAC, EMEA); February 9, 2018 (United States)[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/) |
| Director / writer | James Foley; screenplay by Niall Leonard, based on the novel by E L James[1](https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/fifty-shades-freed) |
| Producers | Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti, Marcus Viscidi, and E L James[1](https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/fifty-shades-freed) |
| Box office | $371,985,018 worldwide ($100,407,760 domestic, $271,577,258 international) on a $55,000,000 budget[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/) |
| Opening weekend | $38,560,195 in the US and Canada[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/) |
| Runtime / rating | 105 minutes, rated R; an unrated cut runs 110 minutes[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4477536) |
| Critical reception | 11% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (192 reviews); B+ CinemaScore[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fifty_shades_freed) • [5](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-box-office-fifty-shades-freed-peter-rabbit-20180211-story.html) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Newlyweds Christian and Ana honeymoon on the [French Riviera](https://www.edgepedia.org/french-riviera), bicycling through Paris and sightseeing in the south of France. A break-in at Christian's headquarters cuts the trip short; security tapes show the perpetrator is Ana's old boss Jack Hyde, who tried to steal computer files.[6](https://www.tributemovies.com/movie/fifty-shades-freed/109850/) As Mrs. Grey, Ana takes on staff and the architect Gia, who tries to seduce Christian despite his disinterest. When Ana learns she is pregnant, Christian's disappointing reaction strains the marriage.[6](https://www.tributemovies.com/movie/fifty-shades-freed/109850/)
While Christian is away on business, Hyde tries to kidnap Ana and, failing that, takes someone close to her, demanding a $5 million ransom that Ana must deliver herself or the victim will be killed.[6](https://www.tributemovies.com/movie/fifty-shades-freed/109850/) A mid-credits scene shows the couple, a couple of years later, playing with their son.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4477536)
## Production
**Back-to-back shooting.** Universal decided the two sequels, *[Fifty Shades Darker](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifty-shades-darker-film)* and *Fifty Shades Freed*, would shoot back to back with James Foley directing both.[7](https://www.thewrap.com/fifty-shades-of-grey-sequels-to-shoot-back-to-back-james-foley-to-direct-both-exclusive/) Producer Marcus Viscidi said he encouraged the studio on the combined schedule, arguing that sets built for both films did not have to be struck and rebuilt a year later, and that reading both scripts helped the actors and Foley understand where their characters start and finish.[8](https://www.visualhollywood.com/fifty-shades-freed-2018-production-notes)
[Principal photography](https://www.edgepedia.org/principal-photography) commenced on February 16, 2016 and was divided between the titles: 42 days for *Darker*, 44 days for *Freed*, and 17 days on which scenes from both films were shot on the same day. *Freed* was shot entirely on location and soundstages in Vancouver, with a five-day shoot in [Whistler, British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/whistler-british-columbia) standing in for Aspen, three days in the South of France, and two days in Paris. Filming for *Freed* began in earnest once a good portion of *Darker* was complete, and the most intense of the intimate scenes in the Red Room were scheduled for the final days of shooting; production wrapped in Canada on July 4, 2016.[8](https://www.visualhollywood.com/fifty-shades-freed-2018-production-notes)
Specific setups included a Burnaby building dressed as the office of Ana's gynecologist, Dr. Green, and a courtroom scene at the Anvil Centre Theatre in [New Westminster](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-westminster) that was not in the source material, in which Hyde seeks bail; E L James said Niall Leonard wanted the scene so audiences could see what happens to Hyde and a possible connection with Elena's ex-husband.[8](https://www.visualhollywood.com/fifty-shades-freed-2018-production-notes) Foley described the visual approach in contrast between the two films: "Darker is darker, and Freed is light, summery, freed, freedom."[8](https://www.visualhollywood.com/fifty-shades-freed-2018-production-notes)
The crew included composer [Danny Elfman](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-elfman), cinematographer John Schwartzman, and editors Richard Francis-Bruce, Debra Neil-Fisher, and David S. Clark.[9](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/credits/)
## Cast
Johnson and Dornan lead a returning ensemble: [Marcia Gay Harden](https://www.edgepedia.org/marcia-gay-harden), Eric Johnson, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Jennifer Ehle, Eloise Mumford, Max Martini, Callum Keith Rennie, Bruce Altman, and [Robinne Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/robinne-lee), joined for the first time by [Arielle Kebbel](https://www.edgepedia.org/arielle-kebbel) and Brant Daugherty.[1](https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/fifty-shades-freed) Ora's character Mia transitions from Christian's playful younger sister to a woman in deep peril when Hyde kidnaps her.[8](https://www.visualhollywood.com/fifty-shades-freed-2018-production-notes)
## Reception and box office
The film opened at the top of the North American chart over the [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl) weekend, earning $38,560,195, and received a B+ from [CinemaScore](https://www.edgepedia.org/cinemascore) alongside an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[5](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-box-office-fifty-shades-freed-peter-rabbit-20180211-story.html) It finished with $100,407,760 domestically (27% of its total) and $271,577,258 internationally, for $371,985,018 worldwide against a $55 million budget.[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/) Universal's marketing framed it as the conclusion to the 2015 and 2017 films that had grossed almost $950 million globally.[1](https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/fifty-shades-freed)
**Critical response.** Like its predecessors, the film received negative reviews, with criticism aimed at its plot and acting.[10](https://cdn-cms.f-static.net/uploads/4422637/normal_6011ecba2899d.pdf) Rotten Tomatoes' critics consensus calls it a "clumsy conclusion" to the trilogy.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fifty_shades_freed) The *Independent* called it "the very trite and silly third film in the trilogy," noting the series' downward box-office trend from $571 million for the first film and $381 million for the second.[11](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/fifty-shades-freed-review-grey-darker-a8202626.html) A *Sight and Sound* review by Violet Lucca argued the revenge plot is stretched over so much screen time that it eclipses the sex and romance sections.[12](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/fifty-shades-freed-review-vanilla-sex-cartoon-villain) At the [Golden Raspberry Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-raspberry-awards), Niall Leonard won Worst Screenplay, while James Foley was nominated for Worst Director and Marcia Gay Harden for Worst Supporting Actress; the film also received a People's Choice Award nomination for Favorite Drama.[13](https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/69eed64a-7add-44ab-9ef9-84a5c6b29eb3/fifty_shades_of_grey_movie_director.pdf)
## Place in the trilogy
The trilogy's three films, released in 2015, 2017, and 2018, earned a combined total of about $1.3 billion worldwide on a combined budget of $150 million, with *Freed* the lowest-grossing of the three.[13](https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/69eed64a-7add-44ab-9ef9-84a5c6b29eb3/fifty_shades_of_grey_movie_director.pdf) Foley, who died in 2025 at 71, told the Associated Press at the *Darker* premiere that the non-actor material, such as the third film's car chase and stunts, was what he found most challenging.[14](https://apnews.com/article/3ae3f63ac80d2505ba7db9b57e433193) A longer unrated version running 110 minutes was released chiefly for home distribution.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4477536)
## References
1. [Fifty Shades Freed, Universal Pictures](https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/fifty-shades-freed)
2. [Fifty Shades Freed (2018), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/)
3. [Fifty Shades Freed (2018), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4477536)
4. [Fifty Shades Freed, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fifty_shades_freed)
5. ['Fifty Shades Freed' dominates newcomers at box office, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-box-office-fifty-shades-freed-peter-rabbit-20180211-story.html)
6. [Fifty Shades Freed (2018) Movie Plot and Synopsis, Tribute Movies](https://www.tributemovies.com/movie/fifty-shades-freed/109850/)
7. ['Fifty Shades of Grey' Sequels to Shoot Back to Back, James Foley to Direct Both, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/fifty-shades-of-grey-sequels-to-shoot-back-to-back-james-foley-to-direct-both-exclusive/)
8. [Fifty Shades Freed (2018) Production Notes, Visual Hollywood](https://www.visualhollywood.com/fifty-shades-freed-2018-production-notes)
9. [Fifty Shades Freed - Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4477536/credits/)
10. [Fifty shades freed parents guide](https://cdn-cms.f-static.net/uploads/4422637/normal_6011ecba2899d.pdf)
11. [Fifty Shades Freed review: A very trite and silly third film, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/fifty-shades-freed-review-grey-darker-a8202626.html)
12. [Fifty Shades Freed review: vanilla sex and a cartoon villain, Sight and Sound (BFI)](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/fifty-shades-freed-review-vanilla-sex-cartoon-villain)
13. [Fifty Shades film trilogy overview (release dates, budgets, awards), compiled reference PDF](https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/69eed64a-7add-44ab-9ef9-84a5c6b29eb3/fifty_shades_of_grey_movie_director.pdf)
14. [James Foley, 'Glengarry Glen Ross' director, dies at 71, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/3ae3f63ac80d2505ba7db9b57e433193)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license