Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan star in the critically reviled, commercially successful adaptations of E.L. James’ books.
- The Fifty Shades film franchise was adapted from E.L. James best-selling trilogy of steamy romance novels.
- Released between 2015 and 2018, the movies explore the sexual (and emotional) relationship between Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey.
- Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan starred in all three films.
Before it became a literary sensation and box office success, the Fifty Shades of Grey series started as fan fiction inspired by the Twilight saga. Author E.L. James reimagined the romance of Edward and Bella to create the now-infamous trilogy, a tale of taboo lust and BDSM that has scandalized millions.
The success of the books quickly led to a film adaptation, launching a series of movies that hooked audiences as much as it divided critics. Several big names auditioned for the lead roles, but Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan ultimately stepped up as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey.
With all three Fifty Shades films now available to stream on Netflix, there’s never been a better time to watch (or rewatch) the full trilogy. Here’s how to watch the Fifty Shades of Grey movies in order.
1. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey introduces viewers to Anastasia “Ana” Steele, a quiet college student who meets the young billionaire Christian Grey during an interview for her school’s newspaper. What begins as a professional relationship quickly evolves into something much more provocative.
Critics weren’t exactly loving Fifty Shades of Grey. At the time, Entertainment Weekly called it a “confounding” adaptation that didn’t live up to the expectations set by the books. “Also — and this is a turnoff — every time a sex scene comes on, some lady starts singing a big, whooshy Sex Scene song,” the review continues. “Hello, Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding, Sia, Jessie Ware, Skylar Grey.”
Despite the negative reviews (and five Razzies), Fifty Shades of Grey was a massive box office hit, raking in $569.7 million worldwide on a $40 million budget.
Its soundtrack also became a major success, with Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do” earning a Golden Globe nomination and The Weeknd’s “Earned It” scoring an Oscar nomination.
Where to watch Fifty Shades of Grey: Netflix
2. Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
On the heels of Fifty Shades of Grey‘s box office success, two sequels were filmed back-to-back. However, both earned less critical praise than the original.
The first of the pair, Fifty Shades Darker, was directed by the late James Foley, the former Madonna collaborator and Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) director. It picks up with Ana starting a new job at Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP). She and Christian eventually reconcile and embark on a more traditional romance, one that ditches their initial toxic dynamic.
Much of the original cast returns, while several new characters raise the stakes. Eric Johnson joins as Ana’s creepy new boss, Jack Hyde; Bella Heathcote plays Leila Williams, a former submissive of Christian’s; and Bruce Altman appears as SIP president Jerry Roach. Oscar winner Kim Basinger also steps in as Elena Lincoln, Christian’s former lover and business partner.
But the added tension and fresh faces weren’t enough for Fifty Shades Darker to win over critics. EW called it “boring,” writing that it’s “a bland story that never really commits to what it wants to be.”
It continues, “Part romance, part thriller, and part soap opera, Darker never does any of those genres particularly well, instead delivering a softcore Hallmark Channel movie that’s neither sexy enough to be exciting nor campy enough to be any fun.”
Where to watch Fifty Shades Darker: Netflix
3. Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
Last but not least, there’s Fifty Shades Freed. Released on Feb. 9, 2018, the third and final installment of the franchise sees Ana and Christian say “I do” at the altar. But their newlywed bubble is quickly popped by Ana’s former boss, Jack Hyde, who resurfaces as a full-on stalker.
So, what started as a steamy romance trilogy shifts into thriller territory, complete with high-speed car chases, kidnapping, and ridiculous life-or-death stakes.
Once again, critics were less than impressed. In our review, we said that Fifty Shades Freed “seems embarrassed to embrace its own pervy nature,” adding, “It’s kitsch that looks in the mirror and deludes itself into thinking it sees art staring back.”
Where to watch Fifty Shades Freed: Netflix
The Fifty Shades movies in order by release date:
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
- Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
- Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
