After almost two years of legal filings, public statements, dismissed claims, countersuits, and the kind of behind-the-scenes drama that ended up completely swallowing the movie itself, one of Hollywood’s most closely watched disputes is finally over. The case had been heading toward a trial later this month, which would almost certainly have dragged even more private tension into public view. Instead, both sides have now reached a confidential settlement. So, yes, after all that, it actually did end before trial. There’s a title joke there, but everyone involved has probably heard enough of those.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have settled their legal battle over It Ends With Us, just two weeks before the case was set to go to trial. According to AP, the dispute has been resolved through a settlement, ending the civil case tied to the 2024 romantic drama, which Baldoni directed and starred in opposite Lively. The settlement terms have not been made public. Which isn’t really a surprise, as that would mean one side conceding public defeat to the other.

The legal battle began after Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during production and alleged that he and his team retaliated against her with a smear campaign. Baldoni denied the allegations and later filed his own defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, seeking $400 million in damages. That countersuit was dismissed, while several of Lively’s claims were also dismissed before the remaining claims were headed toward trial.

Why Did the ‘It Ends With Us’ Lawsuit End Before Trial?

​​​​Basically, neither side truly wanted to air their dirty laundry out in public because this would have been a very public, very messy trial. People reported that lawyers for both parties issued a joint statement saying the film remained “a source of pride” and that raising awareness around domestic violence survivors was a goal they still supported. The statement also acknowledged that the legal process had presented challenges and said concerns raised by Lively deserved to be heard.

In April, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed most of Lively’s claims, including her harassment claims, with reports noting that the court found she was an independent contractor and therefore not covered by Title VII protections in that context. However, some claims, including retaliation and breach of contract, were allowed to continue toward trial before the settlement was reached.

It Ends With Us is streaming now.

via Collider