Los Angeles, Sep 23 (IANS): Producer Dana Brunetti has said that the team behind the "Fifty Shades" franchise has not started casting yet.

It has been rumoured for sometime that Henry Cavill will join Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in "Fifty Shades Darker". While the rumours have not been addressed, Brunetti said the casting is yet to begin, reports aceshowbiz.com.

The producer said: "We're nowhere near casting. We haven't gotten into anything like that. We don't even have a casting director on it yet."

Brunetti also talked about why rumours were so fast to be spread. "It's so insane," he said. "Somebody posts something on some obscure blog and then it gets picked up by something a little less obscure and it keeps going. Fans are starting the news by saying things like (the Cavill casting)."

Back in July, Cavill was reportedly being eyed to play Jack Hyde, Anastasia Steele's (Johnson) new boss, who takes an immediate liking to her.

James Foley returns to direct with a screenplay written by E.L. James' husband Niall Leonard. Brunetti will produce alongside Michael De Luca and James.

The sequel to "Fifty Shades of Grey" is slated for a US release on February 10, 2017.