Teen Wolf actor Tyler Hoechlin has signed for a role in the second installment of the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. Fifty Shades Darker, the second chapter in E.L. James’ hugely successful book series, is currently in production with returning leads Dakota Johnson (Black Mass) and Jamie Dornan (Anthropoid), again playing star-crossed lovers Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. The first film earned over $500 million worldwide after premiering in theaters in February 2015.
Hoechlin is slated to portray Boyce Fox, a co-worker of Steele and a budding author who eventually signs with Christian’s publishing company. The character in the novels is tiny but screenwriter Niall Leonard (James’ husband) and director James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross) are looking to expand the role on film. The ensemble is rounded out by Oscar winners Kim Basinger (L.A. Confidential) and Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock) as well as Bella Heathcote (Dark Shadows), Max Martini (Captain Phillips), Luke Grimes (American Sniper), Victor Rasuk (Godzilla) and Rita Ora (Southpaw).
Hoechlin made a strong impression as child when he co-starred opposite heavyweights Tom Hanks and Paul Newman in Sam Mendes’ Oscar winning 2002 thriller Road to Perdition. He will next be seen on screen in Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some.
Fifty Shades Darker will be released on February 10, 2017 followed by Fifty Shades Freed slated for the following year.