Honestly, the drama surrounding It Ends With Us has basically eclipsed the movie itself. We were all expecting a typical press tour—floral dresses, cute interviews, maybe a few fun anecdotes about filming. Instead, we got a full-blown Hollywood civil war. If you've been on TikTok lately, you've seen the theories. But beyond the viral clips, there is a massive legal and professional mess that has been quietly boiling over for months. It’s messy. It’s complicated. And frankly, it’s a masterclass in how quickly a "passion project" can turn into a reputation nightmare.
The Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni situation isn't just a "feud" anymore. By the time 2024 wrapped, it had transformed into a multi-million dollar legal battle involving sexual harassment allegations, "creative hijacking" claims, and even a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times.
The Press Tour That Went South
It all started when people noticed something weird. Justin Baldoni, the guy who not only starred in the movie but also directed it, was suddenly nowhere to be found. During the August 2024 press tour, he wasn't doing joint interviews with Blake. He wasn't in group photos. At the New York premiere, they were basically in separate universes.
Initially, the internet blamed "creative differences." We’ve seen that before. But then the rumors got darker. People started whispering about a "fracture" in post-production. Apparently, there were two different cuts of the movie—one by Baldoni and one backed by Lively. When Lively revealed on the red carpet that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, actually wrote the pivotal rooftop scene, things got even weirder. The film’s actual screenwriter, Christy Hall, had no idea. Imagine finding out at the premiere that a megastar’s husband re-wrote your work behind your back.
The Legal Bombshells of 2025
While the public was busy arguing over whether Blake’s "grab your florals" marketing was tone-deaf for a movie about domestic violence, the real war was moving to the courtroom.
In December 2024, Blake Lively filed a formal complaint. She didn't just say they didn't get along; she accused Baldoni of creating a "hostile work environment" and alleged sexual harassment. The claims were intense—allegations of inappropriate comments on set and a calculated campaign to destroy her reputation after filming ended. Baldoni didn't just sit back. He hired a heavy-hitter crisis management team and eventually fired back with a countersuit against Lively and Reynolds in January 2025.
"He has to look at it as an information document for us to be armed with. That’s all." — An exhibit from Lively's suit filed Dec. 31, 2024.
By early 2026, newly unsealed texts have added more fuel to the fire. In one message from December 2023, Baldoni allegedly told his agent that Lively was "setting me up for a trap" regarding the filming of intimate scenes. He claimed she refused to use a body double for herself but insisted on one for him, calling the whole production a "gigantic clusterf---."
Why This Feud is Different
Most celebrity spats involve a few "sources say" articles in People and then everyone moves on. Not this one. This has layers.
- The Ryan Reynolds Factor: Reynolds’ involvement through his company, Maximum Effort, became a huge sticking point. Baldoni’s team argued that the couple essentially "hijacked" the film.
- The Marketing Mismatch: While Baldoni was out there talking about the seriousness of domestic abuse, Lively was promoting her haircare line and themed cocktails like "Ryle You Wait."
- The Subpoenas: The legal reach of this case is wild. Even Taylor Swift’s attorney was briefly subpoenaed by Baldoni’s team before they dropped it in May 2025.
The trial is currently set for May 2026. A federal judge has already threatened to move things along because both sides are digging in their heels. It’s rare to see A-listers take it this far. Usually, someone signs a non-disclosure agreement and a big check, and we never hear about it again. But Lively and Baldoni seem determined to win in the court of public opinion just as much as in the actual court.
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What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that this is just about "mean girl" behavior or an ego clash. It’s actually a fight over creative ownership.
Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, spent years developing this project. For him, this was a career-defining moment. For Lively, she was the producer who felt she needed to protect the "female gaze" of the story. Both believe they were the ones "saving" the movie. The result? A $351 million box office hit that neither side can actually enjoy because they’re too busy paying lawyers.
Actionable Insights for the Narrative
If you're following the Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni saga, don't expect a quiet settlement anytime soon. Here is what to keep an eye on:
- Watch the "Unsealed" Documents: As we get closer to the May 2026 trial date, more private texts and emails will likely leak. These often tell a much more honest story than a polished PR statement.
- The Shift in Allegations: Notice how the legal strategy has changed. Early on, the focus was purely on Baldoni’s behavior. Now, the lawsuits are focusing more on "untraceable smear campaigns" and industry-standard workplace conflicts.
- The Impact on Future Projects: This case is changing how "vanity" production deals work. Studios are becoming more cautious about letting stars bring in their own writers (or husbands) to overhaul scripts mid-production.
The trial in 2026 will likely be the most-watched Hollywood legal event since Depp v. Heard. Until then, the "floral vs. serious" debate is just the tip of the iceberg in a much deeper battle for power in Hollywood.
Check the court dockets for the January 22nd hearing updates—this is where the judge will decide which evidence actually makes it to the jury.