Sam Taylor-Johnson exits Fifty Shades

Sam Taylor-Johnson has formally exited the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise.

The British director helmed the hit film starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, which is based off the erotic books written by author E.L. James.

But Sam confirmed on Wednesday she won’t be returning to her post as director for the forthcoming sequel Fifty Shades Darker or the subsequent instalment Fifty Shades Freed.

“Directing Fifty Shades of Grey has been an intense and incredible journey for which I am hugely grateful. I have Universal to thank for that,” she wrote in a statement issued to Deadline. “I forged close and lasting relationships with the cast, producers and crew and most especially, with Dakota and Jamie. While I will not be returning to direct the sequels, I wish nothing but success to whosoever takes on the exciting challenges of films two and three.”

Sam has previously opened up about her contentious creative relationship with writer E.L.

The director claimed she regularly disagreed with E.L. about various aspects of the movie.

"We'd often clash and have to find a way to work through that to get to some sort of resolution," Sam told the Hollywood Reporter. "She would be the first to say as well that it was not easy. It was not easy. But we got there. I think both of us felt it was an incredibly painful process."

Sam added in the THR interview E.L. was “incredibly vocal” about the filmmaking process.

Apparently E.L.’s requests often made no sense to the filmmaker.

“It was really challenging to control E.L.'s - I don't want to say 'crazy' but - impulsive instincts,” a source told THR.

The second movie in the franchise, Fifty Shades Darker is due out in 2017 while the third, Fifty Shades Freed, hits theatres in 2018.