Blake Lively’s Contentious Hit Explodes on Streaming Amid Leaked Texts Scandal

Ahead of the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni trial this year, text messages between Lively and several of her Hollywood friends, colleagues, and acquaintances have been leaked to the press. In 2024, Lively sued her It Ends with Us co-star and director Baldoni for fostering a toxic workplace environment and sexual harassment. This came after months of rumors around a possible falling-out between the two. Baldoni denied any wrongdoing, and subsequently counter-sued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The leaked texts are a part of unsealed court documents that also include emails that Lively sent to Ben Affleck, and messages that she exchanged with Taylor Swift. The scandal made headlines this week, resulting in a sudden increase in viewership for It Ends with Us.

According to FlixPatrol, it was among the most-watched movies around the globe this week on Prime Video, when the leader board was topped by the German World War II hit The Tank. Based on the bestselling book by Colleen Hoover, It Ends with Us was released theatrically in 2024, receiving mixed reviews but exceeding expectations at the box office. It grossed over $350 million globally against a reported budget of $25 million. The romantic drama, which revolves around the grave theme of domestic violence, holds a 55% critics’ score and a “verified hot” 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator’s consensus reads, “Earnestly performed if marred by clunky dialogue, It Ends with Us is surprisingly at its most graceful when handling the more provocative elements of its melodramatic source material.”

Two New Colleen Hoover Adaptations Are Around the Corner

Lively and Baldoni fell out during production, and formed separate camps by the time the film entered post-production. In a leaked email to Affleck, Lively revealed that she was putting together her own cut of the movie, which would be pitted against Baldoni’s. Other messages allude to the difficult experience she had on the project, which was supposed to receive a sequel. It was only after the film had concluded its successful run that Lively made her complaints public. Adaptations of Hoover’s other books are in different stages of development. Regretting You had a solid box office run last year, grossing $90 million worldwide. This year will see the release of Reminders of Him, starring Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers, and Verity, starring Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, and Josh Hartnett. You can watch It Ends with Us on Netflix domestically, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Release Date

August 9, 2024

Runtime

130 Minutes

Writers

Christy Hall, Colleen Hoover