Actress Blake Lively was seen introducing a rough cut of the movie “It Ends With Us” at author Colleen Hoover’s Book Bonanza in 2024. The resurfaced footage shows Lively, 37, presenting an alleged unfinished version of the film, directed by Justin Baldoni, to an audience of enthusiastic fans in Grapevine, Texas on June 15, 2024.
In the video, Lively humorously mentions how the studio initially wanted to show only 20 minutes of the movie, but she insisted on showing the entire film, despite it not being completed. The actress’s candid remarks were met with cheers from the audience.
“It Ends With Us” was adapted for the screen by Sony Pictures and Wayfarer Studios, co-founded by Justin Baldoni, 41. Author Colleen Hoover, the brains behind the novel, was also present at the screening and acknowledged that it was an early version of the movie.
Lively, who appeared enthusiastic about the project, expressed her excitement about sharing the movie with the dedicated fans who made the book a success. She even jokingly mentioned a pair of jeans Hoover had complimented her on, creating a light-hearted moment during the event.
However, the atmosphere surrounding the movie took a tumultuous turn when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment on set. In response, Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her publicist Leslie Sloan, and Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, alleging civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, and more.
The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni escalated, with both parties trading accusations and lawsuits. Lively’s lawyers defended her actions, claiming she was a victim of harassment, while Baldoni’s legal team countered with allegations of deceptive behavior intended to harm Baldoni and his associates.
Despite the ongoing legal dispute, Lively and Reynolds moved to dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by Baldoni. The case is set to have its first hearing on February 3, where both sides will present their arguments.
The intense drama surrounding the movie “It Ends With Us” has overshadowed its initial success at the box office, with reports of creative differences and behind-the-scenes conflicts between Lively and Baldoni surfacing. The future of the film remains uncertain as the legal battle between the key players continues.
Efforts to obtain comments from representatives of both Lively and Baldoni were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. The story of “It Ends With Us” has evolved from a promising movie adaptation to a contentious legal battle, casting a shadow over its potential success.