Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, stars of It Ends With Us, are embroiled in legal disputes, confirming they will not reunite for the sequel.
The drama has cast a shadow over Colleen Hoover’s blockbuster adaptation, which grossed $351 million worldwide.
Hoover, a literary sensation and one of Hollywood’s most in-demand authors, continues her journey of adapting her bestsellers for the screen.
Despite the on-set controversies and legal battles stemming from It Ends With Us, her other film projects, including adaptations of Verity, Reminders of Him, and Regretting You, are progressing without delay.
It Ends With Us marked Hoover’s largest adaptation to date, but it wasn’t her first foray into Hollywood. In 2017, her novel Confess was transformed into a seven-episode series for the now-defunct go90 platform, starring Katie Leclerc and Ryan Cooper.
While the series garnered attention, it was the cinematic treatment of It Ends With Us that propelled Hoover into the Hollywood spotlight.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the film’s August release, Hoover shared her thoughts on seeing her work brought to life. “It’s very surreal,” she admitted. “I think it’s all of the emotions.
I’m able to separate it, in the sense that I see the book and the film as two completely separate things. But at the same time, I think they did such a good job condensing this book into a film that I’m very happy with this adaptation.”
Hoover’s adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges have solidified her status as a powerhouse in both the literary and entertainment worlds.
With multiple projects in the pipeline, fans can anticipate more of her compelling stories hitting the big screen, even as the fallout from It Ends With Us unfolds. The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni may have disrupted their partnership, but it hasn’t slowed Hoover’s momentum.