What Is the It Ends With Us Lawsuit?
The It Ends With Us lawsuit is a group of related federal civil cases over the making and promotion of the 2024 film, not a class action or multidistrict litigation. The film is based on Colleen Hoover's novel, and Justin Baldoni directed it and starred opposite Blake Lively.
The central case is Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC, No. 24-cv-10049, which Lively filed on December 31, 2024 in the Southern District of New York. Wayfarer's own suit against Lively, No. 25-cv-449, was consolidated into it on January 30, 2025.
Searches for the It Ends With Us lawsuit usually mean this dispute between the film's co-stars. It also involves a third related case brought by a publicist, described under the case status heading below.
“The Wayfarer Parties’ Amended Complaint contains allegations regarding a dispute between two well-known actors over the making of a Hollywood motion picture. Virtually every fact is hotly contested.”
Source: Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC, No. 24-cv-10049 (lead) and No. 25-cv-449 (member), Opinion and Order at 2 (S.D.N.Y. June 9, 2025)
Why Was the It Ends With Us Lawsuit Filed?
The It Ends With Us lawsuit was filed because Lively alleged that Baldoni and people around Wayfarer Studios behaved inappropriately on set and then worked to damage her reputation after she raised concerns. She filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2024, then sued in federal court on December 31.
The Wayfarer Parties filed their own suit because they told the opposite story. They alleged that Lively used threats to win control of the film and that she and others spread a false narrative of misconduct about Baldoni. Both sides denied the other's account.
A third dispute started separately. Baldoni's former publicist Stephanie Jones sued on December 24, 2024, alleging breach of contract and defamation, according to Wikipedia's account and Deadline's timeline.
What Harms Does the It Ends With Us Lawsuit Allege?
The It Ends With Us lawsuit includes five distinct categories of harm across the Lively and Wayfarer cases. Lively pleaded sexual harassment, retaliation, and breach of contract, and the Wayfarer Parties pleaded civil extortion and defamation. Every party denied the allegations made against them, and the court dismissed most claims before any jury heard evidence.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a legal claim for unwelcome sexual conduct or comments connected to work that a reasonable person would find hostile or abusive.
Lively alleged inappropriate comments about her appearance, improvised sexual content, and a kiss without her consent, according to NBC News's summary of her amended complaint. The court's April 2, 2026 ruling dismissed her harassment claims after holding that she was an independent contractor for Title VII purposes. That ruling turned on which laws apply, not on what happened on set.
Retaliation
Retaliation is a legal claim for punishing a person, for example by damaging their reputation, because they complained about harassment or discrimination.
Lively alleged a coordinated, resourced plan by Wayfarer and its publicists to silence her after she complained. Her retaliation claims against Wayfarer and an aiding-and-abetting claim against a public relations firm were among the three that survived April 2026. The settlement ended them before trial.
Breach of Contract
Breach of contract is a legal claim that a party failed to perform a promise it made in a binding agreement.
Lively's breach of contract claim concerned a Contract Rider Agreement tied to the conditions under which she returned to production. It was the third claim that survived the April 2026 ruling and was scheduled for trial before the settlement.
Civil Extortion
Civil extortion is a legal claim, recognized in limited form under California law, for obtaining money or property through wrongful threats.
The Wayfarer Parties alleged that Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane used threats about the film's promotion to seize control of it. Judge Liman dismissed the claim on June 9, 2025, reasoning that the alleged demands could amount to hard bargaining over creative control rather than extortion.
Defamation
Defamation is a legal claim that someone communicated a false statement of fact that injured another person's reputation.
The Wayfarer Parties alleged that Lively, Reynolds, Sloane, and The New York Times falsely portrayed them as committing or tolerating misconduct. The court dismissed these claims in June 2025 and held that the Times was not liable on the allegations pleaded. Baldoni's separate libel case against the Times was also dismissed, according to NBC News.
What Is the Current Status of the It Ends With Us Lawsuit?
The current status of the It Ends With Us lawsuit is resolved for the two main cases and open for the publicist's case. Lively's claims settled in May 2026, the Wayfarer Parties' suit was dismissed in 2025, and the court closed the fee dispute in August 2026.
Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC (24-cv-10049)
Lively sued Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni, and associates on December 31, 2024. Baldoni answered on March 20, 2025, and the court entered a protective order on March 13, 2025 that modified the Attorneys' Eyes Only provision the Wayfarer Parties had contested.
| Court | U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York |
| Case Number | 24-cv-10049 (lead case) |
| Judge | Lewis J. Liman |
| Filed | December 31, 2024 |
| Outcome | 10 of 13 claims dismissed (Apr. 2, 2026); remaining claims settled (May 4, 2026) |
The April 2026 ruling left claims of retaliation and breach of contract for trial, and NewsNation reported that Baldoni was no longer an individual defendant afterward. Jury selection had been set for May 18, 2026.
Wayfarer Studios LLC v. Lively (25-cv-449)
The Wayfarer Parties sued Lively, Reynolds, Sloane, Vision PR, and The New York Times, and the press put their damages demand at $400 million. Judge Liman consolidated the case into Lively's on January 30, 2025.
| Court | U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York |
| Case Number | 25-cv-449 (member case) |
| Judge | Lewis J. Liman |
| Claims | Civil extortion, defamation, false light, and related claims |
| Outcome | Dismissed June 9, 2025; fee award to Lively Aug. 26, 2026 |
The court gave the Wayfarer Parties until June 23, 2025 to replead two narrow claims, and NewsNation reported that they missed the deadline, so the dismissal became formal.
Jones v. Abel (25-cv-779)
Stephanie Jones, owner of the public relations firm Jonesworks, sued her former employee Jennifer Abel, publicist Melissa Nathan, Baldoni, and Wayfarer Studios. Judge Liman's March 13, 2025 order treated it as a related case and applied the same protective order.
| Court | U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York |
| Case Number | 25-cv-779 (related case) |
| Judge | Lewis J. Liman |
| Plaintiffs | Stephanie Jones and Jonesworks LLC |
| Outcome | No ruling on the merits or settlement found in the sources reviewed |
A court filing on the Lively docket states that on October 9, 2025 the court denied Jonesworks' motion to dismiss a third-party complaint. Anyone needing the current status should check the docket for 1:25-cv-00779-LJL.
Who Won the It Ends With Us Lawsuit?
Neither side won the It Ends With Us lawsuit outright, because Judge Liman dismissed the Wayfarer Parties' suit and most of Lively's claims, and the rest settled on May 4, 2026 on undisclosed terms.
The joint statement from both legal teams said the film is a source of pride and that Lively's concerns deserved to be heard. It did not disclose a payment, and later reporting about the terms is unconfirmed.
Lively did win a fee award tied to the dismissed countersuit. On August 26, 2026, Judge Liman ordered $363,245.40 in attorneys' fees and $44,206.35 in costs, a total of $407,451.75 against roughly $8 million requested, under California Civil Code Section 47.1.
The judge used The New York Times' $181,622.70 fee request in related litigation as a benchmark and awarded exactly twice that amount in fees, according to the ABA Journal. He also rejected vague entries and media strategy work.
Latest It Ends With Us Lawsuit Updates
The latest It Ends With Us lawsuit updates and news, including new filings, rulings, and case-count reports, are tracked below as they're confirmed. As of October 2026, Lively's federal case over the film It Ends With Us reached a settlement, described in the timeline below. Every verified development is listed in the timeline below, in order.
It Ends With Us Lawsuit Timeline
The Film It Ends With Us Opens in Theaters
The film It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover's novel and directed by Justin Baldoni, opened in theaters on August 9, 2024 and grossed nearly $350 million worldwide, according to ABC News.
Lively Files a Complaint With the California Civil Rights Department
Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20, 2024, alleging harassment on the set of It Ends With Us and a retaliatory smear campaign by Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios.
Baldoni's Former Publicist Sues
Stephanie Jones and her firm Jonesworks sued Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, Jennifer Abel, and Melissa Nathan on December 24, 2024, a case later docketed in federal court as 25-cv-779.
Lively Sues in Federal Court and Baldoni Sues The New York Times
Lively filed Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC, No. 24-cv-10049, in the Southern District of New York on December 31, 2024, the same day Baldoni filed a libel and false light suit against The New York Times.
The Wayfarer Parties File a $400 Million Suit
Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni, and other Wayfarer Parties filed case 25-cv-449 on January 16, 2025 against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and others, alleging extortion and defamation, with damages the press put at $400 million.
Judge Liman Consolidates the Lively and Wayfarer Cases
Judge Lewis J. Liman consolidated the Wayfarer Parties' case 25-cv-449 into Lively's case 24-cv-10049 on January 30, 2025, making 24-cv-10049 the lead case.
Court Enters a Modified Protective Order
Judge Liman granted in part and denied in part a motion for a protective order in the Lively cases on March 13, 2025, allowing an Attorneys' Eyes Only designation with modified language and applying the same order in Jones v. Abel.
Baldoni Files His Answer to Lively's Complaint
Justin Baldoni filed a 68-page answer to Lively's amended complaint in case 24-cv-10049 on March 20, 2025, denying her allegations.
Judge Dismisses the Wayfarer Parties' Claims
In a 132-page opinion dated June 9, 2025, Judge Liman granted the motions of Lively, Reynolds, Sloane, Vision PR, and The New York Times to dismiss the Wayfarer Parties' Amended Complaint.
Court Denies Jonesworks' Motion in the Related Jones Case
According to a later filing on the Lively docket, the court issued an Opinion and Order on October 9, 2025 denying Jonesworks' motion to dismiss a third-party complaint in the related Jones v. Abel case.
Judge Dismisses 10 of Lively's 13 Claims
Judge Liman's April 2, 2026 ruling dismissed 10 of Lively's 13 claims, including sexual harassment, after holding that she was an independent contractor under Title VII, and left retaliation and breach of contract claims for trial.
Lively and Wayfarer Settle Before Trial
Lively and the Wayfarer defendants announced a settlement on May 4, 2026, two weeks before jury selection was due to begin on May 18, in a joint statement that did not disclose financial terms.
Judge Rules Lively Can Recover Fees Under Section 47.1
On June 12, 2026, Judge Liman held that Lively could recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs for defending the Wayfarer Parties' defamation claims under California Civil Code Section 47.1.
Court Awards Lively $407,451 in Fees and Costs
Judge Liman ordered $363,245.40 in attorneys' fees and $44,206.35 in costs on August 26, 2026, about 5% of the roughly $8 million Lively requested.
How Did Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Respond to the It Ends With Us Lawsuit?
Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios responded to the It Ends With Us lawsuit by denying Lively's allegations and filing their own suit accusing her of extortion and defamation. Their lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called her claims false and intended to hurt Baldoni publicly, according to ABC News.
The court dismissed that countersuit on legal grounds in June 2025 and did not decide whose account was true. Lively, Reynolds, Sloane, and The New York Times also denied wrongdoing, and the Times argued its reporting was accurate.
How Do the Lawsuits Over It Ends With Us Compare?
The lawsuits over It Ends With Us compare as separate cases with different plaintiffs, claims, and results that share a judge and a film. Press coverage often blends them under one name.
Only Lively's case reached the eve of trial, and it settled. The other cases ended by dismissal or remain open.
| Case | Plaintiffs | Subject | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lively v. Wayfarer Studios (24-cv-10049) | Blake Lively | Harassment, retaliation, breach of contract | 10 of 13 claims dismissed; rest settled May 2026 |
| Wayfarer Studios v. Lively (25-cv-449) | Wayfarer Studios, Justin Baldoni, and others | Extortion, defamation, false light | Dismissed June 9, 2025 |
| Jones v. Abel (25-cv-779) | Stephanie Jones and Jonesworks | Claims against Baldoni's team and Abel | No outcome found in sources reviewed |
| Baldoni v. The New York Times | Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer | Libel and false light over a Times article | Dismissed, per NBC News |
Two other pages on this site cover the same dispute from other angles: the Blake Lively Justin Baldoni lawsuit and the Blake Lively lawsuit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the It Ends With Us lawsuit about?
The It Ends With Us lawsuit is a set of related federal civil cases over the making of the film. Lively alleged sexual harassment and retaliation, the Wayfarer Parties alleged extortion and defamation, and each side denied the other's claims.
Is the It Ends With Us lawsuit a class action?
No. The It Ends With Us lawsuit is not a class action or multidistrict litigation. It consists of ordinary civil cases before Judge Liman, including 24-cv-10049 and 25-cv-449, and no one else can join them.
Who won the It Ends With Us lawsuit?
Neither side won the It Ends With Us lawsuit outright. The Wayfarer Parties' suit was dismissed, Lively's claims were cut to three and settled in May 2026, and Lively later won a $407,451.75 fee award.
Did Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle the lawsuit?
Yes. Lively and the Wayfarer defendants settled her remaining claims on May 4, 2026, two weeks before trial. The terms were not made public.
Why did the judge dismiss Justin Baldoni's lawsuit against Blake Lively?
Judge Liman dismissed the Wayfarer Parties' suit on June 9, 2025 because their extortion and defamation allegations failed to state a legally valid claim. He did not decide which side's version of events was accurate.
Is the Jones v. Abel lawsuit part of the It Ends With Us lawsuit?
Jones v. Abel is a related but distinct case, No. 25-cv-779, brought by publicist Stephanie Jones. Judge Liman treated it as related, but its claims and parties differ from Lively's, and no outcome was found in the sources reviewed.