Trial Date Set For Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Legal Feud

The legal battle between Blake Lively and her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, has intensified, with a New York judge setting a trial date.

The conflict stems from lawsuits filed by Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni against each other, with allegations of defamation, harassment, and misconduct.

On Tuesday, The New York Post revealed that Lively and Baldoni will officially go to trial on March 9, 2026. Judge Lewis J. Liman also expedited an initial conference, moving it from mid-February to next week, as tensions between the two actors continue to escalate both in court and in the public eye.

On Monday, Lively’s legal team accused Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, of attempting to sway potential jurors by creating a website to share selected communications and documents related to the case.

According to Lively’s lawyers, Freedman’s actions amount to an “extrajudicial campaign to influence these proceedings and the public perception of legal filings,” creating a “serious risk” of tainting the jury pool. They called for an end to what they described as a “stream of defamatory and extrajudicial media statements.”

Freedman fired back in a statement, claiming Lively was trying to suppress evidence that could clear Baldoni’s name.

“The irony is not lost on anyone that Ms. Lively is so petrified of the truth that she has moved to gag it,” he said. Freedman insisted that his client has powerful evidence, including text messages and video footage, that contradict Lively’s allegations.

The feud has also expanded beyond the New York court system. In a separate legal filing in Texas, Lively requested a deposition from an individual she alleges played a key role in turning online sentiment against her during the film’s release and promotion.

In addition to accusations of jury tampering, Baldoni’s team has claimed that Lively launched a media campaign that unfairly vilified the actor-director and his associates. In a letter to the court last week, Baldoni attorney Kevin Fritz accused Lively of leaving his client and others “the objects of public scorn and contempt,” resulting in what he described as “hundreds of millions of dollars” in damages and professional exile.

The ongoing drama surrounding "It Ends With Us" recently took a dramatic turn as explosive new details emerged about a creative dispute between Blake Lively and her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.

In the latest revelation, Lively allegedly likened herself to "Game of Thrones" character Khaleesi, calling her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and best friend, Taylor Swift, her “dragons” as she defended her creative vision for the film.

At the heart of the tension is a pivotal rooftop scene in the romantic drama that Lively reworked to better align with her vision. While Reynolds and Swift reportedly applauded her revisions, Baldoni’s lukewarm response initially led to friction between the two.

According to exclusive text messages obtained by Daily Mail and included in Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Lively, the actress expressed disappointment in Baldoni’s reaction. Baldoni later admitted in a follow-up text that he “felt obliged” to show support, adding, “I would have felt that without Ryan and Taylor.”

Baldoni responded with a six-and-a-half-minute voicemail, now made public, where he addressed her “dragon” comment and apologized for any perceived lack of support.

“Damn right, you got great friends,” Baldoni said in the voicemail. “If that’s how you felt and they knew that. F-ck. We should all have friends like that, aside from the fact they’re two of the most creative people on the planet. The three of you guys together is unbelievable. Talk about energy. Force. All three of you.”

He continued to praise Lively’s contributions to the film, assuring her that her work stood on its own. “I just wanted you to know, I didn’t need that. It’s really good, and it’s going to make the movie sing like you said, and I’m excited to go through the whole movie with you,” Baldoni added.

Lively initially sued Baldoni, his production company, and others in New York in late December, alleging sexual harassment and reputational attacks, seeking unspecified damages.

Earlier this month, Baldoni countered with a lawsuit of his own, accusing Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion. Baldoni is seeking at least $400 million in damages.