"Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed" will undergo production simultaneously.

According to a recent report by Showbiz 411, both 2017's "Fifty Shades Darker" and 2018's "Fifty Shades Freed" will be made at the same time with overlapping productions to save money.

This is definitely not the first time a studio has decided to do this with the production schedule. Previously, Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogies and the last two "Pirates of the Caribbean" films were shot in the same way. The same went for the final two "Matrix" movies. That allowed production costs to be cheaper and also allowed the filmmakers to have more time with editing and with continuity.

The studio is finishing up pre-production as the movies will be shot in January. As of now, the studio and producers are currently working on getting a new director after the first film's helmer Sam Taylor-Johnson opted out of the sequel.

Currently "Hannibal" director James Foley is the front runner to make the sequels and Showbiz 411 claims he's "probably directing."

If the next two films are shot simultaneously, that would mean that casting will be done for both films at the same time and that the director chosen will most likely be helming the next two projects.

"Fifty Shades Darker" is slated to star Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. It will also star Rita Ora and Luke Grimes.

The film will tell the story of Christian, who continues to wrestle with his inner demons, and Anastasia, who must confront the anger and envy of Christian's previous women.

The film has already been delayed due to many controversies and is expected to start shooting in January. Producers have already promised that the new film will have more explicit sex scenes especially after many fans complained about the first film.

"Fifty Shades Darker" is expected to be released in February 2017.

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