The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s New York Times best-selling novel, It Ends With Us, opened in cinemas on August 8 after a strung-out press tour decorated with a suite of floral-themed ensembles, pop-up bouquets and a surprise junket crash appearance from Ryan Reynolds during a cast interview.
Despite early box-office predictions signalling commercial acclaim for the film, the Blake Lively-helmed production has faced unwonted controversy surrounding speculated cast drama.
Similar to the on-set drama that marred the release of Olivia Wilde’s sophomore directorial offering Don’t Worry Darling, It Ends With Us has ended up in the crossfire of TikTok fan theories and a negative press cycle after early reports of a rift between Lively and the film’s director and lead, Justin Baldoni (Ryle Kincaid), emerged late into the promotional run.
Is there a feud? Or is this merely the case of excellent marketing to drum up intrigue for the project? With Hoover’s 2016 romance novel selling over a million copies and translated into 20 languages, the latter is difficult to believe given the already-established fanbase. So, as Lively’s best friend Taylor Swift would say, what is being entered into evidence to support the rumours of a feud?
The Rumours Surrounding The It Ends With Us Feud, Explained.
With initial hypothesising appearing on TikTok in the hours after the film’s New York premiere on August 6, we should preface that neither Lively nor Baldoni have officially addressed the gossip as of yet. Yet, only a week into the film’s release and a projected USD $23 million grossed in the opening weekend, it seems that this story is only just starting.
So far, the only elements fans can point out to corroborate their assumption of a feud is the fact Baldoni has been questionably absent during the press tour, the cast’s collective unfollowing of him on Instagram despite him still following them and the lack of overall interaction between him and his co-stars. Baldoni did not appear in a single picture at the Manhattan opening with the film’s principals, including Jenny Slate (Allysa), Brandon Sklenar (Atlas Corrigan) or Isabela Ferrer (Young Lily Bloom).
Adding further contention are new insights from trade publications verifying reports of a fractured relationship. As per The Hollywood Reporter, which published initial findings after speaking with anonymous insiders who worked on the production, a rift between Lively and Baldoni began “in the post production process, wherein two different cuts of the movie emerged.”
The Blake Brown Beauty founder, who also served as a producer, was said to have “a strong say in the film’s creative direction”. According to multiple sources speaking to the publication, Lively’s sway extended to “having the power to make her own version of the movie”, which she tapped the editor of Deadpool & Wolverine and her directed music video for Swift’s “I Bet You Think About Me” for.
It’s not yet clear how much of Lively’s “version” went into the final edit of the film, though both Lively and Baldoni were said to be across the cut that made it to the silver screens.
Another source of friction could be believed to stem from Reynold’s involvement in the production. Lively revealed that she and her husband rewrote chunks of dialogue from the critical rooftop scene where she and Baldoni’s characters first meet.
“The iconic rooftop scene, my husband actually wrote it,” Lively said in an interview with E! at the East Coast event. Lively added that the screenwriter Christy Hall wasn’t even aware of it initially and that nobody knew that except for the interviewer. “We help each other,” she added. “He works on everything I do. I work on everything he does. So his wins, his celebrations are mine, and mine are his.”
Hall responded positively to Reynold’s rewrites, explaining to People: “When I saw a cut I was like, ‘Oh, that’s cute. That must have been a cute improvised thing.’ So if I’m being told that Ryan wrote that, then great, how wonderful.”
Baldoni previously praised Lively to Entertainment Weekly following the film’s premiere. “Blake was involved in every aspect of the film once she came onto the project, from scenes and dialogue until the end, until now,” he said. “She’s been involved in all of it, and she’s been a powerhouse of a creative and a wonderful collaborator.”
What Is It Ends With Us About?
It Ends With Us follows Lively’s protagonist Lily Bloom as she attempts to begin a new life in Boston after a difficult childhood. After opening her “dream” flower shop, she unexpectedly befriends and slowly falls in love with Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni). With their romance in full bloom, a shift in behaviour prompts Lily to reconsider her future with Ryle, especially after witnessing the effects of a violent relationship while growing up. Once Lily’s childhood love Atlas (Sklenar) re-enters her life, Lily is forced to face the cycle of abuse first-hand and make an impossible future for her future—should she end it or not?
Hoover published a sequel, It Starts With Us, in 2022. Nothing has been confirmed about a potential follow-up, with neither Lively nor Baldoni attached to the highly-anticipated project.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.