It Ends With Us was expected to be the film of 2024. And while the highly-anticipated Colleen Hoover adaptation did become a box office hit, it also brought controversy, with producer Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni locked in a legal battle since its release.
Lively, 38, filed a federal lawsuit against her former co-star and director in December 2024, accusing Baldoni, 41, of sexual harassment and for allegedly coordinating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied the allegations, filing a $400 million countersuit that has since been dismissed.
With a trial for Lively v Wayfarer Studios set for March 2026, the Colleen Hoover adaptation continues to make headlines. And as multiple It Ends With Us cast members are deposed in the ongoing legal battle, details around the project are being released to the public.
This week, it was Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us contract that made headlines, as her staggering salary was revealed during the legal battle.
According to a report from The Daily Mail‘s Alison Boshoff, the Gossip Girl star was paid a whopping $1.75 million (£1.3 million) as fixed compensation for her work, with alleged potential for her earnings to grow depending on the film’s success.
Lively was reportedly contractually agreed to receive a $250,000 bonus if the film grossed over triple its production budget at the box office. This clause would have been enacted, with It Ends With Us raking in $351 million worldwide against its $25 million budget.
And she reportedly would have received even more if she was recognised at the Academy Awards for her performance, with a clause that she would earn a $100,000 bonus if she was nominated for an Oscar, and $200,000 if she won. However, this clause was not activated, with Lively not receiving a ‘Best Actress’ nomination.
The Lively v Wayfarer Studios trial is set for March 2026.
We will continue to update this story.