It Ends With Us has become the subject of controversy since it released due to reports and rumors of drama between stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni teamed up to star in It Ends With Us, with the latter pulling double-duty on set in directing the romantic drama.
It Ends With Us Controversy Emerges After On-Set Drama
The controversy surrounding It Ends With Us began as eagle-eyed fans noticed Justin Baldoni had spent much of the press tour separate from the rest of the cast, avoiding photos together and entering separate theaters at the premiere.
Some even pointed out how, while Baldoni follows much of the cast on social media, most don't follow him back, sparking speculation of a feud.
TMZ reported how Lively was left uncomfortable and feeling fat-shamed by Baldoni on set after he questioned his on-set trainer about her weight before lifting her for a scene due to his history of back problems.
An article from Page Six added that Lively was left "uncomfortable" on set due to the "extremely difficult" work environment Baldoni created on set.
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), there was a "fracture among the filmmakers" during the post-production process of It Ends With Us, leading to two different cuts of the movie emerging.
There was even speculation Lively brought in her A-list husband Ryan Reynolds to help assume creative control of the flick. THR noted in its report that the Deadpool star helped "write a large chunk of dialogue" for a key rooftop scene. However, his involvement was limited due to his focus on Deadpool & Wolverine.
The outlet noted that Lively had a "strong say" in the creative direction due to her starring and producing roles, leading her to commission her own cut. At the time of writing, it remains unclear whether Lively's cut or the other was the one released.
THR downplayed fears of "any friction" during the production, clarifying multiple cuts being developed is common and the team agreed on the final release.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the premiere (via Variety), Baldoni was asked about the chances of him returning to direct and act in a sequel. In response, the star suggested "There are better people for that one" and added that "Blake Lively's ready to direct."
The comments from Baldoni have only fueled discussion of a creative control split, as the director and actor seemingly hinted he would take a smaller role, if any at all, in a potential sequel based on the follow-up book, It Starts With Us.
A separate report from THR stated Baldoni had gone as far as to hire crisis PR manager Melissa Nathan (who represented Johnny Depp during his trial with Amber Heard) to assist him amid the release of It Ends With Us.
Will Justin Baldoni Be Recast for It Ends With Us 2?
Between reports from Baldoni making Lively "uncomfortable" during production and a creative rift emerging in post-production, the actor/director has been the subject of mass controversy and backlash since the release.
The troubling reports have sparked concerns that either Baldoni or Lively would sit out a potential sequel to It Ends With Us, which has grown increasingly likely to become a reality due to its box office success.
Many will be aware It Ends With Us is based on a 2016 book by Colleen Hoover which already has a sequel novel in 2022's It Starts With Us.
After Baldoni distanced himself from the cast during the press tour and proposed passing directing duties to Lively, it wouldn't be shocking if he was recast for a sequel with someone else helming It Starts With Us. Then again, there is plenty of time for the reported rift between the starts to repair before then.
It Ends With Us is playing now in theaters.
Read more about It Ends With Us:
Here's When It Ends with Us' Streaming Release Is Now Expected to Happen
It Ends With Us Movie Reviews: Strong First Reactions Get Shared Online
