'Fifty Shades Darker', the follow-up to box office hit 'Fifty Shades of Grey', is confirmed to be released in theaters on February 10, 2017 with production to begin by next year. Main stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson are also said to be returning on set bringing with them yet again more rumors of off-screen romances.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, it was Universal Pictures that made the official announcement. Included in this statement was the release date for the third movie in the series, 'Fifty Shades Freed', which will come out on February 9, 2018. It was also reported that previous director Sam-Taylor Johnson won't be returning for the sequel after having creative differences with 'Fifty Shades' author E.L. James thereby leaving the director's chair open. Niall Leonard, husband to Ms. James, will write the script for the second film.

Ever since its prequel dominated charts last February 9, 2015, rumors have been going around of actors Dornan and Johnson that they could be involved in an off-screen romance. The two play main characters Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele respectively. Now, with the return of the hype due to an upcoming movie, the on-screen lovers are pushed back to the spotlight. It's safe to say though that no such romance goes beyond the movie screen.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Dornan was and still continues to be in love with his wife Amelia Warner. There may have been reports after the first movie came out of Warner's displeasure towards her husband's explicit scenes with his co-actress but Dornan was quick to dismiss them as being untrue.

In a report by Daily Mail, Johnson and her beau Matthew Hitt had been back together for a while after a brief split early in the year because of Hitt's discomfort with Johnson's meteoric rise to fame. They were reportedly seen together again in April.

'Fifty Shades Darker' is part of the 'Fifty Shades' Trilogy and will be based on the book with the same name. As of writing, there has yet to be any official confirmation as to who will be directing as well as who will be playing the new characters in the film.