Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Set for March 2026 Showdown in ‘It Ends With Us’ Lawsuit

NEW YORK — The legal turmoil surrounding “It Ends With Us” escalated this week as a New York judge scheduled a trial for March 2026. Judge Lewis J. Liman moved an initial conference to next week from its original mid-February date, addressing the rising tensions between Blake Lively and her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.

In a new development, Lively filed a motion in Texas, seeking testimony from Jed Wallace, a crisis management consultant she claims amplified negative online sentiment about her during the film’s promotional period.

In a Monday order, Judge Liman instructed both parties to prepare for the March 9, 2026 trial. He also emphasized that they should be ready to tackle allegations regarding pretrial publicity and professional conduct among attorneys involved.

Lively’s legal team accused Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, of attempting to bias potential jurors through a controversial website that disseminates selected communications between the actors. Her lawyers alleged this move poses a risk of tainting the jury pool with negative public perception.

“The endless stream of defamatory and extrajudicial media statements must end,” they asserted in their filing.

Freedman countered, suggesting that Lively’s efforts were an attempt to suppress the truth. He criticized her for inciting a media frenzy that allegedly misrepresents the facts. “We will never be bullied by those suggesting we cannot defend our clients with pure, unedited facts,” he stated.

Further escalating the situation, Baldoni’s attorney accused Lively of instigating a harmful publicity campaign that has led to significant financial and social damages for Baldoni and co-defendants, describing them as “exiled from polite society.”

In her Texas filing, Lively accused Wallace and his firm, Street Relations, of manipulating social media narratives to turn public opinion against her. She claims Wallace mobilized online campaigns that made disparaging content appear authentic across platforms like Reddit and TikTok.

While Wallace is mentioned in Lively’s lawsuit, he is not named as a defendant. Freedman, representing Wallace, did not immediately provide comments regarding the allegations.

Earlier this year, Lively initiated a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company, claiming sexual harassment and reputational harm while seeking unspecified damages. Baldoni responded with a lawsuit of his own, accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion, and demanding at least $400 million in damages. The judge indicated that both lawsuits may be combined for the trial.

“It Ends With Us,” adapted from Colleen Hoover’s novel, debuted in August, garnering $50 million at the box office despite the controversy surrounding its stars. The film transitions from a romantic narrative to address themes of domestic violence, further complicating its reception amid the public discord between Lively and Baldoni.

Blake Lively rose to fame with the 2005 film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and solidified her career through the series “Gossip Girl.” Meanwhile, Justin Baldoni is known for his work in the television series “Jane the Virgin” and for directing “Five Feet Apart.”