{"id":264916,"date":"2026-09-24T17:37:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T17:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/24\/colleen-hoover-reflects-on-it-ends-with-us-drama-after-blake-lively-justin-baldonis-settlement\/"},"modified":"2026-09-24T17:37:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T17:37:51","slug":"colleen-hoover-reflects-on-it-ends-with-us-drama-after-blake-lively-justin-baldonis-settlement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/24\/colleen-hoover-reflects-on-it-ends-with-us-drama-after-blake-lively-justin-baldonis-settlement\/","title":{"rendered":"Colleen Hoover Reflects on \u2018It Ends With Us\u2019 Drama After Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni\u2019s Settlement"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Colleen Hoover<\/strong> is \u201cgrateful\u201d for the It Ends With Us<\/em><\/a> film adaptation despite the drama that came with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel for everyone, you know?\u201d the author, 46, told Variety<\/em><\/a> in an interview published on Wednesday, September 23.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the author, I was \u2014 and am \u2014 so proud of that movie,\u201d she continued. \u201cI think they did a great job. I think Blake<\/strong> [Lively<\/strong>]<\/a> was great in it, Justin<\/strong> [Baldoni<\/strong>]<\/a> was great in it, Brandon<\/strong> [Sklenar<\/strong>] was great in it, and I saw the completed film before any of that happened, or I knew it was happening, so I was proud of the film. And I still am. It was a huge hit.\u201d<\/p>\n

It Ends With Us<\/em> was released in theaters in August 2024. The film, which had a $25 million budget, grossed $350 million worldwide.<\/p>\n

Four months after its debut, It Ends With Us<\/em> became shrouded in controversy when leading lady Lively, 39, sued her costar and director<\/a>, Baldoni, 42, and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, accusing him of sexual harassment on set and of orchestrating a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued Lively, accusing her of defamation. (The countersuit was later dismissed.)<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Author Colleen Hoover Breaks Her Silence on ‘It Ends With Us’ Lawsuit<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tIt Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover is finally breaking her silence on Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni\u2018s lawsuit. \u201cIt feels like a circus,\u201d Hoover, 45, told Elle in an interview published on Thursday, November 20. \u201cWhen there are real people involved, with real feelings and emotions.\u201d Hoover said the drama has \u201cimpacted some of [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After more than a year of battling in court, Baldoni and Lively reached a settlement in May before the case went to trial. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios were ordered to pay Lively just over $400,000 for legal fees and additional costs. (She initially requested $8 million.)<\/p>\n

Though the legal drama cast a shadow over the film, Hoover told Variety<\/em> that she chose to focus on the bright side. She\u2019s also ready to usher in a new era with the adaptation of her book Verity<\/em>, starring Dakota Johnson<\/strong>, Anne Hathaway<\/strong> and Josh Hartnett<\/strong>. The film hits theaters on October 2.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a great experience, and I think the aftermath is going to be a great experience,\u201d Hoover continued on Wednesday. \u201cI\u2019m just really, really excited for this release in a way that I don\u2019t think I have been. I had a lot of nerves with the other ones, for a lot of different reasons, but this one is pure excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Colleen Hoover Had Concerns About Justin Baldoni Directing ‘It Ends With Us’<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tUPDATE, 1\/21\/26 at 3:39 p.m. ET: Court documents obtained by Us Weekly exclusively reveal that she was initially concerned when Justin Baldoni signed on to direct the film adaptation of It Ends With Us. \u201cI think everyone\u2019s reaction was concern,\u201d the transcript of Hoover\u2019s deposition reveals. \u201cThey expressed it and said that they think it [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hoover also discussed the possibility of It Ends With Us<\/em>\u2019 sequel, It Starts With Us<\/em>, getting its own adaptation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t own the rights to the film sequel. So, if they decide to make another one, I\u2019m all for it,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n

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