Colleen Hoover fans were in for a ride this year, as the adaptation of one of her most renowned works, It Ends With Us, hits the theatres in 2024. Coming as music to fans’ ears, the movie is about to propel the Summer Box Office to new heights, with predictions that it is all set to make an impressive $23 million in the opening weekend itself.
Mind you, the film was made on a $25 million budget only. But that isn’t the only reason the Justin Baldoni starrer is finding itself in the news. Social media is abuzz with rumors of a feud between two central stars of the movie, one which might even put the chances of any sequel in serious jeopardy.
Is all not well between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively?
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are the central pair in It Ends With Us, playing the roles of Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid. Their romance and chemistry is crucial to the film’s success. Everyone knows that. And if trailers are anything to go by, they have managed to nail that in the Brandon Sklenar starrer.
Yet it seems that things are not rosy between the pair anymore. While their dynamics as actors was spot on, word has it that there was a huge tussle for creative control over which direction the film would take. And if the rumors are anything to go by, it has been an ugly one.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni had their fair share of differences
The tussle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is what has been the talk of the town. Tiktok and X are full of conspiracy theories of what ‘actually’ went down between the duo. And the theorists have largely sided with one star – Baldoni.
Heard on TikTok that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively wanted ‘it end with us’ to be Blake’s Oscar nod, and took away so much creative power from Justin Baldoni. TikTok said it not me.🤪 pic.twitter.com/rsFXwCBQCS
— 𝓂𝒶𝓇 ✿ (@marwithluuv) August 8, 2024
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds seem like insufferable people. I have no clue what’s going on with the it ends with us cast drama, but I stand with Justin Baldoni. 🤷🏽♀️
— 𝓂𝒶𝓇 ✿ (@marwithluuv) August 8, 2024
Blake is trying to make it look like a fun romcom. If you didn’t read the book or truly look into it, you’d be potentially triggered so hard by the DV themes in this story. Justin is promoting it as it should be promoted.
— Brittany (@ItsBrittFutch) August 9, 2024
One such version attributes the tussle with a difference of opinion about what the movie will primarily focus on – while one wanted to retain the core of the book, the other wanted it to be on the lines of a romcom. Many alleged that while Justin Baldoni, the director of It Ends With Us, wanted to focus on the message of domestic violence the story had to offer, Lively was more obsessed with ensuring that the flick would become her Oscar nod.
Many even claimed that Ryan Reynolds helping with the project was nothing more than a stunt to ensure that The Age of Adaline star’s camp had creative control.
Justin Baldoni gets fans’ support for not trying to make the film about himself
The It Ends With Us press tour has only sparked the fire, with many wondering why everyone is keeping a distance from Justin Baldoni. And they didn’t mince words against the 36-year-old and Ryan Reynolds, alleging that they were fixated on wrestling control from Baldoni and adding elements which would not remain true to the books.
Some fans even said that while one star spoke about domestic violence, the other focused more on promoting herself, an observation many cite while making a stand for the 40-year-old.
So I’ve been looking into the it ends with us drama and I’m seeing that Justin Baldoni is the only one using press to discuss the topic of the movie which is domestic violence and Miss Serena Vanderwoodsen is using it to promote her hair line and Deadpool x Wolverine… pic.twitter.com/dZZ3104mri
— samanthamcfarland (@SailorSammy93) August 8, 2024
While reps for both stars have refused to comment on the alleged feud, fans are convinced about its existence. And if they’re right, it’ll be a shame.
Many would have been hoping for an adaptation of the sequel, It Starts With Us, but the feud might mean that it literally ends for the franchise with them.
