The fate of one of 2024’s runaway hits, It Ends With Us, could leave fans with a sour taste as the story is likely to go unfinished on the silver screen. The cinematic adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling book counts $242 million for the Justin Baldoni-directed drama starring Blake Lively (Gossip Girl, The Shallows, The Town), Baldoni, and Brandon Sklenar (Midway, Westworld, Vice), with a $300 million take in sight. To put its success in perspective, It Ends With Us only cost $25 million, making the box office profits nothing to dismiss. However, an ongoing feud between Lively and Baldoni could keep audiences from seeing an It Ends With Us sequel.
Typically, studios lock down the necessary cast members and fast-track a sequel when a surprise smash like this comes along. It helps that Hoover’s sequel novel exists, leaving the path to more story crystal clear. However, a source close to the original film’s production says it’s unlikely that Lively and Baldoni will work together again.
“This is uncharted territory, and nobody has any idea of what a sequel could look like,” says the source. “There’s probably no world where these two will work together again.”
The drama surrounding It Ends With Us reportedly began when Baldoni became upset about not getting photographed with the cast at the film’s New York premiere. Baldoni then failed to present the film alongside Lively and Hoover at the illustrious event. Oddly, none of the film’s stars follow Baldoni on social media, save for Hasan Minhaj. Social media is a significant part of PR for cinema, with cast and crew sharing photos, leaving comments, and hyping the project’s release. Baldoni was not a part of that process, or at least that’s how it appeared to fans online. Watercooler whispers also point to Lively and Baldoni having disagreements about the film’s final cut, with Lively’s version ultimately being the one to play in theaters.
To complicate matters, Ryan Reynolds reportedly helped Lively write a scene in the film’s final cut, possibly raising credit issues with the WGA. There’s also the matter of production for It Ends With Us, which started three days after the WGA strike began. Reynolds is a proud member of the WGA. He could have violated the organization’s rules if he had helped write a scene after the strike began. Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios also holds the cinematic writes to It Ends With Us as if those issues were insufficient.
Confusion surrounding the film makes an It Ends With Us sequel unlikely, as many close to the situation say Lively and Baldoni’s relationship is toxic and in ruin. If the stars align and It Starts With Us enters production, Baldoni told Entertainment Tonight he’ll likely pass the directorial torch and thinks Lively is up to the task. Meanwhile, Baldoni’s character, Ryle, plays a minor role in the sequel, meaning they could write around him or recast.
Frustratingly, Sony is caught between a rock and a hard place regarding an It Ends With Us sequel. Ideally, a sequel would get rushed into production, with as little a gap between films as possible. Still, the tea leaves are sinking to the bottom of the cup for this one.
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