It Ends With Us 2: Has Drama Between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Killed the Sequel?

As a die-hard fan who has followed the tumultuous journey of Sony’s It Ends With Us since its inception, I find myself enthralled yet saddened by the recent turn of events. The on-set drama between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, two talented individuals with incredible potential, is akin to watching a much-anticipated dance performance where the leads refuse to tango.


Despite earning $180 million at the box office, Sony’s movie “It Ends With Us” has been eclipsed by stories of strife between its main actors, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, stemming from creative disagreements during the film’s production. Lively, who both stars in and produces the film, has allegedly butted heads with director and co-star Baldoni since the 2023 actor and writer strikes, potentially threatening the planned sequel.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m thrilled to share that the next chapter in this captivating story is on its way! Officially known as the sequel to Colleen Hoover’s “It Starts With Us,” though unofficially titled “It Ends With Us 2,” this novel has been in the works for quite some time. Five years ago, I, along with Wayfarer Studios, secured the rights to produce all books in this series through my production company. Can’t wait to bring this heartwarming tale to life!

In the upcoming sequel, I’m excited to once again step into the shoes of my character, Lily Bloom, a role previously played by Lively at 36 and Baldoni at 40. While there hasn’t been any formal announcement yet, it seems we might be reuniting on screen. However, recent tensions between us, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, could potentially present some hurdles in our collaboration.

In partnership with Sony, Wayfarer Studios has secured the rights to produce the sequel, whereby Baldoni is anticipated to reprise his roles as both actor and director. Building a strong collaboration between Baldoni and Lively is essential, as their characters’ storylines significantly contribute to the narrative of It Starts With Us.

It’s been indicated that the conflicts originated from creative disagreements. Some say Baldoni was challenging to collaborate with, while reports suggest Lively aimed to dictate the movie’s creative direction. These disagreements allegedly resulted in two different versions of the film, one favored by Baldoni and another by Lively, with the latter eventually being screened in cinemas.

Despite frequent disagreements being typical within film productions, these conflicts don’t automatically result in project cancellations. Consequently, there’s a good chance that a sequel to “It Ends With Us” could still happen if Lively and Baldoni manage to iron out their differences, despite the continuous attention from the media.

As reported by MovieWeb, Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra seems to have sided in the ongoing debate, expressing his enthusiasm for future partnerships. In a public declaration, Vinciquerra voiced robust backing for collaborations with Blake Lively and Colleen Hoover, stating, “We really enjoy working with Blake, and we’re eager to make 12 more films with her.”

Remarkably, during a conversation about the achievements of It Ends With Us and Sony’s upcoming plans for the series, Vinciquerra failed to bring up director Justin Baldoni – the individual who initially acquired the book rights, which Hoover had guarded zealously for years.

It’s believed that the disagreement between Lively and Baldoni originated from Lively’s hesitation to collaborate with Baldoni once more following the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, when filming resumed. This discord continued even after the shooting was completed, eventually growing into a significant dispute that has affected the movie’s publicity—whether this has helped or hurt the film is yet to be determined.

Currently, Blake Lively is encountering criticism from fans following her contentious remarks about domestic abuse in a recent interview. Furthermore, the movie, which hasn’t received positive reviews, is also under fire for its shallow representation of abuse survivors.

It Ends With Us is now playing in theaters.

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2024-08-23 10:12