The legal battle between It Ends with Us collaborators Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni seemed to come to an end weeks ago. At that time, Baldoni and Lively released a joint statement in which they conveyed their intention to settle their dispute and move past the situation. However, in time, Lively’s camp requested damages and legal fee payments from Baldoni’s with the latter disputing that such money was owed. Now, according to a new report, the pair are going back to court this coming week to tie up some loose ends.
Shortly after Lively (38) and co. requested damages from Baldoni (42), she and her legal representatives hit a setback when a judge struck down their attempts to file additional briefs. That seemed to mark a victory of sorts for Baldoni’s team, yet a hearing has now been scheduled for June 1. Per RadarOnline, Judge Lewis Liman scheduled the hearing in an attempt to resolve the matter of Lively’s claims about damages and fees from Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, which was also involved in the original suit.
Judge Liman reportedly wants both Baldoni and Lively’s teams to also consider several elements of the case that will apparently help him determine whether the Age of Adaline actress is owed the money. One component that Liman brings up in the notice is that both sides must determine if different standards are in play when someone is trying to get punitive damages, treble damages and attorneys’ fees. There’s also the matter of which side possesses the burden of proof (or the responsibility to provide the necessary evidence).
The judge’s order was formally filed on May 28, and both sides were given until May 31 to submit letter briefs ahead of giving oral arguments in court. RadarOnline surmises that the quick turnaround with this situation could indicate that the judge wants to clear up this situation sooner rather than later.
Lively and Baldoni’s legal skirmish began back in December 2024 after the actress filed a legal complaint against her co-star/director over alleged sexual harassment on the set of IEWU. Lively, who also accused Baldoni of using a PR firm to launch a smear campaign against her, later sued him. After denying this former collaborator’s allegations, Baldoni countersued Lively, Reynolds and others for $400 million on the grounds of alleged defamation, extortion and more.
In the summer of 2025, Lively saw a victory when Baldoni’s lawsuit was thrown out by a judge. Earlier this year, though, the actress also saw a loss when 10 of her 13 claims against Baldoni were dismissed. The lawsuit settlement was announced not long after that and, in the aftermath, both Lively and Baldoni’s teams shared statements in which they both claimed victory in the case. There still remain a number of questions, however, and that’s not just in regard to the legal aspect of this.
There’s been considerable speculation about what lies ahead for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s careers. It’s been alleged that Lively is planning future projects, while Baldoni purportedly wants to make an It Ends with Us sequel (and is supposedly open to Lively starring). Despite that, studio execs theorize that the road will be rough for both actors in the immediate future, considering everything that’s happened between them.
Of course, before all that, there’s the matter of the hearing that’s been scheduled. The public at large can only wait and see how this latest chapter in the Lively/Baldoni saga unfolds.
