“With Us, It Ends” Star and director Justin Baldoni says “better people” should be in charge of the sequel: Blake Lively is prepared to helm. That’s My Thought.
“It Ends With Us,” a romantic drama picture, is anticipated to be a box office hit, grossing over $40 million on opening weekend after earning $7 million in previews on Thursday.
The question “Will the original cast reappear in the sequel?” is raised by this. “It Ends With Us” was inspired by Colleen Hoover’s same-titled 2016 bestseller. Hoover released a sequel, “It Starts With Us,” in 2022.
The director and star of “It Ends With Us,” Justin Baldoni, responded to questions from Entertainment Tonight at the film’s premiere about his potential return to play two parts in a sequel. He turned down the offer, much to the interviewer’s surprise.
Blake Lively appears ready to take the lead. That’s what I think.
Lively plays Lily Bloom, the proprietor of a Boston flower shop, in “It Ends With Us,” who grows fond of neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid. The “Gossip Girl” alumnus also produced the movie. Baldoni plays Ryle, and actor Brandon Sklenar from “1923” plays Atlas Corrigan, Lily’s teenage crush. Lily’s journey through the love triangle and her triumph against Ryle’s hostile animosity form the core of the plot. All three characters resurface in the follow-up book “It Starts With Us,” although it doesn’t seem like filmmaker Justin Baldoni is thinking of directing the picture.
Rumors surfaced in the days before “It Ends With Us” debuted, claiming that Baldoni and Lively argued during post-production about the movie’s ending. The rumors have been denied by both stars. He said to Variety that Baldoni was the one who chose to option Hoover’s book and obtain the film rights, remarking, “It was sexy, and it was romantic and mysterious.
“I was very protective of this book,” Hoover added, adding that she had declined proposals before from Justin Baldoni.
Justin Baldoni told Variety about Hoover’s sequel book that “we have the option,” referring to his production company, Wayfarer Studios. At the moment, he went on, “I haven’t even started to think that far ahead.” I’m doing my hardest to be present in the moment.
“It Ends With Us” from Sony is presently playing in theaters all throughout the nation.
We Are the Final Link in It The Justin Baldoni Clash Is Not About Blake Lively: “Cast Will Have Nothing to Do with Him”
The issues that are brewing behind the scenes of It Ends with Us, according to a source who talked with PEOPLE, go beyond alleged creative differences between Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni.
“Everything is not as it seems,” PEOPLE is informed by an insider. “This story is far more intricate than that. He won’t communicate in any way with the primary cast or [author] Colleen Hoover.”
Representatives for Lively, 36, and Justin Baldoni, 40, did not respond when PEOPLE asked them for comments.
It Ends With Us, which stars Lively as Lily Bloom, a florist who falls in love with Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), a neurosurgeon, opened to a healthy $50 million at the domestic box office over the weekend. A poisonous friendship ensues from there. Hasan Minhaj, Isabela Ferrer, Jenny Slate, Alex Neustaedter, and Brandon Sklenar are some of the other cast members.
Rumors of conflicts behind the scenes surfaced before the film came out because Baldoni did most of the press appearances alone and refused to participate in group shots with the cast at the New York premiere. Fans also swiftly noticed that Lively, Hoover, and Slate did not reciprocate Baldoni’s Instagram following.
Justin Baldoni’s close associate claimed to PEOPLE on Monday, August 8, that the conflict resulted from “creative differences” that had been “overblown” in response to a report from the Hollywood Reporter that claimed there had been a split between the filmmakers during the post-production phase, leading to the appearance of two different versions of the film.”Lively wants to direct the next movie, sidelining him and securing the rights from Colleen,” the person said.
But according to a Hollywood source, there hasn’t been any talk of a sequel yet.
The choice to adjust Baldoni told Variety that It Starts with Us is a property of his production company Wayfarer Studios, but that “I haven’t even begun to think that far ahead.
On August 9, the Daily Mail published an article alleging that Baldoni was “borderline abusive” and “chauvinistic” during his work on the It Ends with Us set. This was the first time that news of Baldoni’s alleged behavior surfaced. That same day, Page Six stated that Baldoni created a sense of working in a “very difficult” environment behind the scenes for the entire cast.
Justin Baldoni stated to Entertainment Tonight at the August 6 premiere in New York City that Lively should helm a sequel.
Lively has acknowledged putting her personal stamp on the film’s storyline, music, and other components. She produces It Ends with Us as well.
