'Fifty Shades Darker' Just Beat 'Star Wars'

The sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey is already in the business of breaking barriers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first trailer for Fifty Shades Darker was viewed 114 million times in the first 24 hours after its release, a number which surpasses the one that the trailer for a little under the radar film you may have heard about — Star Wars: The Force Awakens — acquired during its first 24 hours of release. In fact, The Force Awakens trailer gathered 112 million views in its first day, which proves that there's only one thing viewers want more than beautiful, incredibly detailed sagas about intergalactic wars: S. E. X. It also proves that the Fifty Shades franchise will not be slowing down any time soon. For those 114 million viewers, that's a blessing. A sexy, sexy blessing.

The multi-million view count, by the way, spans across all digital platforms that the trailer was released on, including YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Of course, it should come as no surprise to anyone with two eyes and a pulse that the trailer has been getting views: Fifty Shades has been immensely popular since E.L. James' book was released a few years back, and copies of it started popping up everywhere — including once (OK, twice) on your grandmother's living room table. According to a New York Times report in 2014, the novel had sold over 100 million copies — and by now, that number's surely much higher. The first film, which came out in February of 2015, dominated the box office with a $94.4 million opening week. That's more than both Twilight and Frozen.

So, when Hollywood decided to move forward with two Fifty Shades sequels — Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed — it wasn't that surprising either. There's no way someone wasn't going to capitalize on the massive popularity of this franchise. It seems reasonable to assume that Fifty Shades Darker is going to clean up in ticket sales this year. It might even break some new records. It might even — cover your ears Star Wars fans — surpass The Force Awakens's opening numbers.

Add to those 114 million views by watching the trailer:

Images: Universal Pictures