For an It Ends With Us sequel to happen, three specific conditions likely have to be met.
The romantic drama from actor/director Justin Baldoni was a viral hit when it came to theaters in August 2024. It put Colleen Hoover's beloved (and controversial) novel of the same name to the screen, following a woman who finds love amid a potentially abusive relationship.
While the movie was a financial success (earning $148 million on a $25 million budget) and there is a sequel novel by Hoover, titled It Starts With Us, a second movie in the franchise remains a massive question mark.
Will There Be a Sequel to 'It Ends With Us' Movie?
Justin Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios Gives OK to Sequel
Director Justin Baldoni will ultimately have the final say over whether a It Ends With Us sequel ends up happening.
Baldeoni's Wayfarer Studios actively holds the film right to both of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us novels. This is different from most literary adaptations where the studio options the rights to a particular work on a project-to-project basis.
Instead, Wayfarer can outright call the film rights to the books their own thanks to a deal that was struck between Baldoni's company and Hoover before the book earned the viral fame it would become known for.
Speaking with Variety before the release of It Ends With Us, Baldoni posited that they have not "even begun to think that far ahead" when asked about a potential sequel.
There was plenty of drama surrounding the production of It Ends With Us, so, Baldoni may opt to forgo a sequel, despite whatever financial incentive there may be on that front.
However, if he and Wayfarer are truly looking for another major payday, then they would be smart to get to work on a sequel.
Lively Agrees To Return Following the Drama
If Justin Baldoni wants to venture down the It Ends With Us road again, the first movie's biggest star, Blake Lively will also have to give the green light if any potential sequel is going to see the light of day.
Lively plays the first film's main character, Lily Bloom, a young flower shop owner who sparks up a romance with her high school sweetheart while still in a relationship with a potentially abusive man of her dreams.
And while It Ends With Us was a viral hit when it hit the big screen, Lively coming back is anything but a guarantee. There was significant drama behind the scenes of the film between Lively and actor/director Justin Baldoni.
The rumor was that Lively felt mistreated by Baldoni on the set of the film and that Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, was possibly brought in with creative notes in the post-production process — something Baldoni bristled with.
If Lively were to sign the dotted line for a sequel, it would not be the first time a star set aside personal differences for a particular project, but some feel the fracture between her and Baldoni may be deep enough for the pair to never work together.
Baldoni himself has commented on the repercussions of these production tensions, telling Entertainment Tonight at the movie's premiere that he would not be directing a sequel if one were to happen, remarking, "I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct," in what some saw as a shot at the It Ends With Us actress:
"I think there are better people for that. I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct."
A Timely Production Window
Lastly, if a second movie in the It Ends With Us franchise were to happen, it needs to strike while the iron is hot.
A prompt production window is crucial for the potential success of a sequel, needing to happen in the next three or four years, ensuring a release date sometime in the next five.
This is mostly to avoid the actors aging out of their late 20s/early 30s roles, the characters are known for in the source material.
The events of the second novel take place mere months after the first one's ending (read more about It Ends With Us' ending here), so getting started sooner rather than later would greatly benefit something like this.
One also has to remember that much of the success the It Ends With Us novel has seen has been thanks to its virality and getting picked up by the uber-popular BookTok community online. That means getting another movie out before this wave of popularity completely dies out is something to consider as well.
Sony will have the option once again to distribute a sequel to the film, but cannot force a potential follow-up to be produced. Instead, as mentioned above, that falls solely on the shoulders of Wayfarer Studios.
It Ends With Us is now streaming on Netflix.
