Sony Pictures president of production Mike De Luca is leaving his position at the film company and has officially announced that he will be producing the new Fifty Shades of Grey movie sequels.

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On Thursday, Deadline reported that while rumors took over the Internet that De Luca was planning to leave Sony, the producer denied he was going to make this move so the news comes as a surprise.

De Luca issued this statement: "There are fantastic things happening at Sony right now. I am crazy about Tom, Doug, Hannah and the whole team here and there is incredible new energy and optimism about what's going on, so this was a really hard decision for me."

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De Luca continued by saying he wishes he coule be in two places at one time, however the new opportunity that has presented itself is an offer that he cannot refuse. 

"I literally wish I could be in two places at once, but the opportunity to resume my producing career right now, including the possibility of continuing on the Fifty Shades trilogy, makes this the right choice for me at this unique moment in time. I look forward to continuing to work with Columbia on my existing productions there."

According to the site De Luca will partner with Dana Brunetti to get the ball rolling on the new installment Fifty Shades Darker, and hopefully production for the new film will begin soon.

Due to an on-going feud with author E.L. James and film director Sam Taylor-Johnson, production for the first sequel has experienced several delays and after Johnson quit, plans to shoot have allegedly been up in the air. 

While there has yet to be an official release date for the second film installment Fifty Shades Darker, actors Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson have been told to plan on an early 2016 shoot for a 2017 release.

Tags: Fifty Shades Of Grey Fifty Shades Darker e.l. james Sam Taylor-Johnson Movies