How the Fifty Shades of Grey Team Celebrated After Smashing ster Wars Record | Vanity Fair 

by posting the most-viewed trailer in a single day—proving that sex is currently a hotter commodity than sci-fi—the

creative team assembled for a well-earned cocktail. Perched on the rooftop terrace of Catch in West Hollywood on Thursday evening, E.L. James—the unassuming English author who created the best-selling franchise—sat with husband and

screenwriter Niall Leonard, chatting with well-wishers and snapping cell-phone pictures of the nearby scenery.

Although she was at Catch for Audi’s annual Emmy weekend kickoff, James told us that she will not be attending the actual awards on Sunday night. (“I’ve got other fish to fry, as they say”). As she took a look around the room, she said that the party was how she was celebrating the record-breaking trailer release.

“I’m always humbled [by the response] . . . I was absolutely thrilled,” James said of the fervor over the sequel’s first teaser. “And I’m thrilled the fans are so happy about it.” While she described herself as a “terrible tease” (“i.e. I love to tease,” she said with a smile), all she would offer us about the sequel is: “I think you’re going to love it, that’s all I’m going to say.”

Explaining, she politely added, “I think Universal will shoot us if we say anything else.”

Nearby, franchise super producer Dana Brunetti—who was celebrating the record as well as the 11 Emmy nominations his Netflix series

“It’s really good,” Brunetti said of the sequel, which again stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as the story’s central lovers Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. Although the first film adaptation was a critical and box-office success, Universal parted ways with director Sam Taylor-Johnson and screenwriter Kelly Marcel for the sophomore adaptation. And Brunetti told us that fans will see a marked difference when

“James Foley has done an amazing job,” Brunetti said of the sequel’s director, with whom he also works on

and we do most of those at the same time, so I think people are going to be able to view the movie the same way they might a show like

And if the number of trailer views—“114 million views across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and other digital platforms,”

and co. might have a box-office giant on their hands. Although the first film’s $570 million gross was not paltry,

“The fans are ravenous, so I knew it would do well and get a lot of views,” Brunetti said of the trailer. “But 114 million and counting?” he said shaking his head, still in disbelief. Aside from sipping drinks on a swanky Hollywood rooftop, how does one celebrate that type of success?

“I posted on Instagram,” Brunetti said. (He published a screen grab of

’s write-up with a single-word caption: “Boom.”) “I celebrate everything on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.”

cast, and Cat Deeley mingled nearby—and Elizabeth Banks, in a shimmery black bodysuit, held court in the center of the room—Brunetti gave us a few tips about attending the Emmys (“get an aisle seat”). He also revealed that he’s already set his awards sights beyond this weekend, with a plan to transform the Oscars should he produce, as has been rumored.

“If I produce the Oscars, it’s not going to be a four-hour show,” Brunetti said. “We’re going to get rid of some of the awards, get rid of some of the dance numbers. What everyone’s waiting for is best actor, best actress, best director, best picture—everything that is at the end. They have all of these other awards at the front that the audience really doesn’t care about. Then what ends up happening is that the winners that everyone cares about finally get onstage, and they are rushed because the show is out of time.”

As we cheered on this vision for a much-needed Oscar slimming, Brunetti told us not to get our hopes up just yet.

“The Academy hasn’t decided yet,” he said. “I told them I would be glad to do it. But they might think I’m a little too risque and outspoken.”

Josh DuboffJosh Duboff is a VF.com senior writer, based in New York, who covers entertainment and culture.

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