Sam Taylor-Johnson exits "Fifty Shades of Grey" franchise

Sam Taylor-Johnson has broken things off with "Fifty Shades of Grey."

The director confirmed she won't be returning to helm the second installment in the film adaptations of E.L. James' bestselling erotic novels.

"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. I forged close and lasting relationships with the cast, producers and crew and most especially, with Dakota and Jamie," she said in a statement to Deadline. "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."

The first film in the steamy saga hit theaters in February and became a box office hit, taking in $558 million worldwide.

Taylor-Johnson has been candid about the fact that she and James clashed during the film's production.

"We definitely fought, but they were creative fights, and we would resolve them," the director told Porter magazine earlier this year. "We would have proper on-set 'barneys,' and I'm not confrontational, but it was about finding a way between the two of us, satisfying her vision of what she'd written as well as my need to visualize this person on screen, but, you know, we got there."

Last month, Variety reported that James was seeking more creative control over the next "Fifty Shades" film, including wanting to write the screenplay herself.

Whoever steps in to direct will get to work with Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, who are both set to return as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey.