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Justin Baldoni’s $400M Lawsuit vs. Blake Lively Dismissed

Justin Baldoni’s $400M Lawsuit vs. Blake Lively Dismissed
Published 2 days ago on Jun 11, 2025

Justin Baldoni's $400 Million Countersuit Against Blake Lively Dismissed in Major Legal Setback.

Justin Baldoni's $400 Million Countersuit Against Blake Lively Dismissed in Major Legal Setback.

In a significant legal development, a federal judge has dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400 million countersuit against actress Blake Lively amid the ongoing legal turmoil surrounding the production of It Ends With Us. The lawsuit, which also targeted Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds, her publicist Leslie Sloane, PR firm Vision, and The New York Times, was rejected in its entirety by U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.

The countersuit stemmed from Lively's December 2024 lawsuit alleging sexual harassment by Baldoni on the film's set. Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, responded by filing a defamation and extortion countersuit, asserting that Lively and her associates had attempted to damage his career and wrest creative control of the film.

However, Judge Liman found that the statements made by Lively were protected under litigation privilege, meaning they were made in the context of a legal complaint and thus not actionable under defamation laws. The court further ruled that there was no sufficient evidence to prove that Reynolds, Sloane, or The New York Times made defamatory statements with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth.

A federal judge has dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400 million countersuit against actress Blake Lively amid the ongoing legal turmoil surrounding the production of It Ends With Us.

"The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Reynolds, Sloane or the Times would have seriously doubted these statements were true," Liman stated. He also rejected the extortion claims, asserting that Lively’s demands on set—such as seeking specific edits or refusing to promote the film unless her version was used—were within her contractual rights or standard negotiation tactics, not unlawful coercion.

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Despite the dismissal, Judge Liman allowed the plaintiffs until June 23, 2025, to file a second amended complaint limited to allegations of tortious interference and breach of implied covenant.

Baldoni's legal team had also launched a $250 million defamation suit against The New York Times for a December 31 exposé detailing Lively's sexual harassment claims. This, too, was part of the broader countersuit dismissed by Judge Liman.

The court’s 132-page decision further invalidated claims that Marvel Entertainment, LLC should be subpoenaed for allegedly mocking Baldoni via a character named Nicepool in Deadpool & Wolverine. The judge sided with Marvel’s request to quash the subpoena, reinforcing the limits of Baldoni's legal reach in the case.

A spokesperson for The New York Times praised the court's decision: "We are grateful to the court for seeing the lawsuit against The New York Times for what it was: a meritless attempt to stifle honest reporting."

Similarly, Blake Lively’s legal team celebrated the dismissal, stating: "Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times. This '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it."

The legal saga began when Blake Lively filed an 80-page civil rights complaint with the California Civil Rights Department and later followed up with a federal lawsuit. Her complaint detailed claims of body shaming, sexual harassment, and professional retaliation during the making of It Ends With Us. Lively alleged that Baldoni used his influence to orchestrate a smear campaign against her.

Baldoni, who directed and co-starred in the film, has denied all allegations, asserting that the claims were fabricated and that Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane conspired to tarnish his reputation and seize control over the creative direction of the movie.

Adding fuel to the fire, Baldoni’s legal team launched a website, thelawsuitinfo.com, to publicly share text messages and other communications they believed would expose the true motives behind Lively’s allegations. The move drew widespread criticism and was seen by some as an attempt to litigate the case in the court of public opinion.

It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, debuted in August 2024 and became a commercial hit, grossing $148 million domestically and $350 million globally.

Complicating matters further, Baldoni has also faced fallout from the industry. He was dropped by talent agency WME, which also represents Lively and Reynolds. Though WME has denied any coercion by the celebrity couple, the timing raised eyebrows.

In recent weeks, Lively dropped a claim of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, possibly signaling a strategic narrowing of her case.

It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, debuted in August 2024 and became a commercial hit, grossing $148 million domestically and $350 million globally. The film starred Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar, and Kevin McKidd.

The judge’s ruling not only dismisses Baldoni’s countersuit but also sends a strong message about the legal limits of retaliatory lawsuits in the entertainment industry. While Baldoni retains the right to amend his complaint, the outcome marks a decisive legal win for Lively and her co-defendants in a case that has captivated Hollywood and the broader public.

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