'Fifty Shades Darker' may not have an official director attached but speculations that director James Foley has jumped on board fueled expectations of a better-made sequel than the original movie. Reports of delays may be caused by difficult production, casting and budget issues.

According to International Business Times, main actress Dakota Johnson dropped the news that filming may start sometime in early 2016. However, there has been much speculation of an imminent delay in the sequel's production since no reliable source has come forward to offer updates regarding a replacement director and new cast members.

It was previously reported that the first film's director Sam Taylor-Johnson will not be returning to helm the second installment in the live-action adaptation of the best-selling erotica authored by E.L. James. Although she left on amiable terms with the cast and crew of 'Fifty Shades of Grey', her subsequent departure was said to be caused by constant clashes with E.L. James with regards to creative control.

Although no official announcement has been made on Taylor-Johnson's replacement, Variety reported that James Foley has been considered as the best choice. The 61-year old filmmaker is credited for his work on several drama and thriller films including 'After Dark, My Sweet', 'Glengarry Glen Ross', 'Fear', 'Reckless' and 'Perfect Stranger'. He is considered by many fans as a good pick for the second 'Fifty Shades' film that is said to be more of a thriller than a romance flick.

The film's production was initially announced to begin in the first quarter of 2016 in time for the scheduled release date of February 14, 2017. However, a report by News Everyday stated that audiences can expect a delay due to some "unforeseen circumstances" such as challenging production processes, casting issues and budgetary concerns. It was also suggested that major changes in the production team could be contributing to the pre-production difficulties.

'Fifty Shades Darker' is a planned romance-thriller intended as the sequel to the highly successful first film in the trilogy that was released last February 13, 2015. Its predecessor earned a whopping $569 million against a $40 million budget despite general negative reception from critics and audiences alike. It starred Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey.