5 Shocking Revelations From The Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni Legal War After The $350M Success Of 'It Ends With Us'

The professional relationship between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, once the celebrated co-stars and co-producers of the blockbuster film It Ends With Us, has devolved into one of Hollywood's most explosive and closely watched legal battles. As of early December 2025, the focus has shifted entirely from the film's massive $350 million box office success to the courtroom, where a high-stakes sexual harassment lawsuit and a pending counter-suit have put the future of both actors' careers and Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, in jeopardy. The drama surrounding the Colleen Hoover adaptation, which was already controversial due to casting choices, has now reached an unprecedented level of real-life conflict, with a trial date for the core allegations pushed back to May 2026.

This ongoing legal war, which began with a series of lawsuits and counter-suits filed in late 2024, has captivated the industry, with both sides trading serious allegations of misconduct, retaliation, and a coordinated public smear campaign. The following deep dive outlines the full scope of the scandal, the professional history of the two stars, and the shocking revelations that have emerged from the legal filings, providing the most current update on a feud that is far from over.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni: A Dual Biography

The two stars at the center of this drama share a history of working across both television and film, building recognizable brands before their contentious partnership on It Ends With Us.

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Blake Lively: The Hollywood Icon and Producer

• Full Name: Blake Ellender Brown (Professionally known as Blake Lively)
• Born: August 25, 1987, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Early Career: Daughter of actor Ernie Lively. Gained initial attention for her role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
• Breakthrough Role: Serena van der Woodsen in the hit TV series Gossip Girl (2007–2012).
• Key Films: The Age of Adaline, A Simple Favor, The Shallows.
• Personal Life: Married to actor Ryan Reynolds; a mother and founder of the non-alcoholic mixer company Betty Buzz.

Justin Baldoni: Actor, Director, and Filmmaker

• Full Name: Justin Louis Baldoni
• Born: January 24, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Breakthrough Role: Rafael Solano on The CW satirical telenovela Jane the Virgin (2014–2019).
• Filmmaker Career: Known for directing and producing films like Five Feet Apart (2019) and Clouds (2020) through his company, Wayfarer Studios.
• Other Work: Recognized for his TED Talks and his documentary series My Last Days.

The Lawsuit Timeline: From Co-Stars to Courtroom Adversaries

The professional collaboration between Lively and Baldoni on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us, where they starred as Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid, quickly soured. The behind-the-scenes tensions, which began during the film's production, escalated into a full-blown legal crisis following the movie's August 2024 release.

1. Blake Lively's $161 Million Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Suit

In a bombshell filing in late 2024, Blake Lively sued Justin Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and others for a staggering $161 million. The core of the complaint alleges sexual harassment and retaliation. Lively’s legal team claims Baldoni engaged in a "carefully crafted, coordinated, and resourced" effort to discredit her after she raised concerns. Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses Baldoni of trying to "avoid accountability" for the alleged misconduct during the film's production.

2. The Postponed Trial Date and Legal Maneuvering

The highly anticipated trial for Lively’s lawsuit has been postponed. Originally scheduled for early 2026, a judge has delayed the proceedings until May 2026. This delay allows both legal teams more time for discovery and pre-trial motions, prolonging the public scrutiny of the case. The postponement itself is a significant development, keeping the legal cloud over both stars for the foreseeable future.

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The Unprecedented Drama: Box Office Success vs. Personal Feud

The legal drama is set against the backdrop of It Ends With Us becoming one of the most successful romantic dramas of 2024. The film, despite initial controversies, grossed over $350 million globally, proving the massive commercial power of the source material and its stars.

3. Justin Baldoni’s Pending Counter-Suit

Days after Lively filed her suit, reports confirmed that Justin Baldoni and his legal team were preparing to file a counter-suit. Baldoni intends to sue Lively, alleging she launched a retaliatory public smear campaign against him. This escalation—a lawsuit and a counter-suit between the two lead actors and producers—is a rare and dramatic event in Hollywood, turning their professional dispute into a war of attrition.

4. The Initial 'It Ends With Us' Production Controversy

Even before the lawsuits, the film's production was already subject to intense public scrutiny. Fans of Colleen Hoover's book criticized the casting of the two actors, deeming them too old for the roles of Lily and Ryle, who are in their early twenties in the novel. There was also controversy surrounding the film's handling of heavy themes like domestic abuse and sexual assault, and the costume choices were widely mocked on social media. This pre-existing controversy set a tense stage for the subsequent legal fallout.

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5. The Future of the 'It Ends With Us' Franchise

The success of the film has naturally sparked intense speculation about a sequel. Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios has publicly given the green light for a sequel, but the return of Blake Lively is listed as a major condition. Given the current legal climate, the possibility of the two stars reuniting for a sequel is highly improbable. The ongoing legal battle and the serious nature of the allegations have effectively frozen the future of the franchise, despite its box office triumph, leaving fans of the book series in limbo.

Conclusion: An Industry-Defining Legal Battle

The Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni legal saga is a defining moment for Hollywood in 2025, highlighting the dark side of a seemingly successful production. The narrative has completely shifted from a romantic drama adaptation to a complex legal battle involving millions of dollars and careers. With the sexual harassment trial postponed until May 2026 and the threat of further counter-suits looming, the industry will be watching closely to see how this unprecedented conflict between co-stars and producers ultimately resolves. The drama proves that for Lively and Baldoni, the conflict on screen was merely a prelude to the much more intense battle off-screen.