Why Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s feud makes a sequel to ‘It Ends With Us’ seem unlikely

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It looks like a sequel to 'It Ends With Us' might be drifting further out of reach as the feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is showing no signs of getting resolved.

After both stars took separate paths in promoting the summer blockbuster, whispers of a bitter clash have only intensified, leaving them reportedly not on speaking term, as per Daily Mail.

Now, insiders hint that the chance of bringing Colleen Hoover’s highly anticipated sequel, 'It Starts With Us', to the big screen is growing increasingly uncertain.

Will there be a sequel to 'It Ends With Us'?

'It Ends With Us' has raked in over $180 million globally, a remarkable return on its $25 million budget, making a sequel almost a no-brainer.

However, Colleen Hoover’s support for Blake Lively in her feud with Justin Baldoni complicates things, as Baldoni's company holds the rights to 'It Starts With Us', according to insiders. 

"It's hard to imagine Justin wanting to work with Blake - or vice versa - after all this bad blood. Whatever started this feud, there certainly has been no obvious rapprochement between the pair," an industry insider reveals.

If the cast can't even bear to be around the director or acknowledge him during the press tour, it's hard to imagine how they could work together on a film set again.

Adding to the drama, Lively, 36, is currently facing a major backlash—or "Blakelash"—after recently resurfaced interviews have shown her being less than gracious with reporters.

In recent days, clip after clip has emerged of Blake Lively delivering icy interviews where she skewers, dismisses, or outrightly ignores questions. The once-glamorous 'Gossip Girl' is now looking more like a mean girl in the public eye.

Last week, the whispers of the dreaded "c" word—canceled—were slowly heard.

Now, sources say Lively is frantically searching for a PR strategy to pull the ripcord on her plummeting reputation.

Blake Lively’s power play over final cut, Taylor Swift’s influence, and tone-deaf promotion

The 'It Ends With Us' drama began after Blake Lively allegedly accused Justin Baldoni of "fat-shaming" her when he consulted his personal trainer to learn how to protect his back during a scene where he had to lift her.

That on-set friction spilled into post-production, with accusations that Lively essentially bullied Baldoni out of his first major movie.

Baldoni, who originally bought the rights to Hoover’s novel and directed the film, found himself at odds with Lively over the final cut.

According to celebrity gossip podcast Deux Moi, Lively was dissatisfied with Baldoni’s version, so she and her husband, 'Deadpool' star Ryan Reynolds, 47, funded their own editor to create a different cut.

While Baldoni’s cut reportedly "tested better", the studio ultimately chose Lively’s version.

Rumor has it that Lively, a close friend of Taylor Swift, “strongly suggested” that if the studio didn’t use her cut, they wouldn’t get to include Swift’s song 'My Tears Ricochet' from 'Folklore' in the film.

As Lively scrambles to manage the growing wave of bad press, she might need to take a page from one of her bestie’s songs: “It’s me. Hi! I’m the problem, it’s me.”

Lively also faced backlash for her insensitive response during an interview with journalist Jake Hamilton, who asked her and co-star Brandon Sklenar about the sensitive themes in the movie.

Hamilton highlighted that many viewers would connect deeply with the film's topics, but Lively's reaction was criticized as dismissive and tone-deaf.

Critics argue that she missed an opportunity to address the movie's central theme of domestic abuse and instead used the tour to promote her own hair care line, treating the film as if it were a lighthearted romantic comedy rather than one dealing with serious issues.

In a another promotional clip, Blake Lively was criticized for focusing on lighthearted topics like clothing and zodiac signs in an interview with Isabella Ferrer and Jenny Slate along with Hoover, ignoring the serious themes of the movie.

Fans against the idea of 'It Ends With Us' sequel

Amid the anticipation of a potential sequel to 'It Ends With Us', viewers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the original film, with many voicing strong opinions against the idea.

One viewer expressed, "A sequel to “ It Ends With Us”? The book was so predictable and banal that it put in the bin. No movie watched and no sequel wanted."

Another viewer shared, "Sequel? It was a horrible movie. She is certainly not a good actress."

One viewer pointed out, "No sequel needed."

A follower observed, "Yeah I don’t think that’s happening. LOL I think Blake canceled herself."

One comment stated, "Don’t do it."

Another comment read, "All in the publicity plan."

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