Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds ask judge to dismiss Justin Baldoni's lawsuit as first court appearance set
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are seeking to have Justin Baldoni's £320 million countersuit dismissed.
As you're likely aware, It Ends With Us co-stars Lively and Baldoni are currently locked in a complex legal battle over their time making the film.
Following a noticeably frosty promotional period in August, Gossip Girl star Lively filed her first lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024.
The actor and director then fired back the following month, by filing a countersuit against Lively, her husband Reynolds and their publicist.
Advert
Both Lively and Baldoni have denied the allegations made against them.
In a major update to the never-ending saga, Lively and Reynolds' team will ask a judge to have Baldoni's defamation suit against them dismissed.
Attorneys for both parties are scheduled to make their first appearance in court tomorrow (3 February) for a hearing - a trial is currently set for March 2026 - with Lively's team filing a notice for dismissal last week.
According to a report from Variety, attorneys for the Lively/Reynolds camp filed the notice on Thursday (30 January).
New York Judge Lewis Liman had asked for a letter which would 'indicate in one sentence the Defendant’s intent to make a motion to dismiss'.
The couple's lawyer Michael J Gottlieb has since confirmed the update, telling the outlet in a statement: "The Lively-Reynolds Parties intend to move to dismiss Plaintiffs' complaint."
Leslie Sloane, the publicist named in Baldoni's lawsuit, filed a similar motion on the Wednesday.
Another major trial update has seen Baldoni's team launch a website which they claim includes evidence to support their lawsuit, such as text messages sent between the parties and a 'timeline of events'.
What information does Justin Baldoni's website include?
Yesterday (1 February), Baldoni's team published a website titled 'Lawsuit info' which features links to an amended complaints as well as an alleged 'timeline of events'.
The website also includes allegations such as discussions between Lively and Baldoni to rework the pivotal rooftop scene between their characters, as well as allegations that Lively and Reynolds demanded Baldoni publicly take responsibility for the negative press against the 37-year-old actress.
The statement they wrote for Baldoni reads in part: "It Ends With Us was a troubled production which we take full accountability for. Blake Lively, Colleen Hoover, the entire cast and crew led with professionalism every step of the way, any negativity aimed at them is ours to own.
"We have always said we are not perfect and even if [we] unintentionally make mistakes, we always own them."
New leaked texts from Justin Baldoni’s website
The website also contains texts allegedly sent between Baldoni and Reynolds where the Deadpool actor appears to show his intent to be 'friends' with Baldoni.
"You've hit the jackpot with B," one message reads. "She literally passes on every film and every filmmaker all the time. I'm excited for Blake to crack open her creative piggy bank with someone as dynamic as you. This is gonna be INCREDIBLE.
"Looking forward to seeing you. And thank you again for all you're doing. I happen to adore you, Justin xo."
Blake Lively's team on Baldoni's website
The website has long been threatened by Baldoni's legal team. Lively's lawyer Michael Gottleib told the Daily Mail of their plans: "The planned website will release what Mr. Freedman self-servingly proclaims will be 'full unedited WhatsApp, text and email exchanges between Lively and Baldoni,' although neither the media nor public will have any way of knowing which communications Mr. Freedman has selectively omitted from disclosure, including communications that Mr. Freedman and his clients may have deleted."
LADbible Group previously contacted representatives for Lively and Reynolds for comment.
Topics: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Ryan Reynolds
Brenna Cooper