Los Ángeles, CA – Blake Lively has shed new light on the contentious legal battle surrounding the upcoming film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, *It Ends With Us*. In documents obtained by *Us Weekly*, Lively revealed that author Colleen Hoover initially resisted the idea of a male director overseeing the project.
According to the legal filings, Lively and her legal team argued that Hoover, 45, had initially envisioned a female director for the film. The documents stated that Hoover was “reluctant” to offer the rights to a man, ultimately agreeing to sell them to Justin Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer.
“Hoover was reluctant to option the Film to a man, but agreed to sell the rights to Wayfarer,” the documents detailed. Before Baldoni’s involvement, Hoover “explicitly requested that a woman direct the Film.”
This revelation comes amid a complex legal drama that began in December 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, 41, for alleged sexual harassment on set. Baldoni vehemently denied the accusations, calling them “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.”
The legal battle escalated, with Baldoni subsequently filing his own lawsuit against Lively in January, which was dismissed in June. A trial is currently scheduled to begin in March 2026.
Colleen Hoover recently addressed the situation in an interview with *Elle*, stating, “It feels like a circus. When there are real people involved, with real feelings and emotions.” She further expressed sadness about the situation, emphasizing that the legal issues have overshadowed the film’s core theme of domestic violence and female empowerment, a subject deeply personal to her, inspired by her mother’s story.
Hoover’s sentiments were echoed in a previous Instagram post praising Lively for her support. “Blake Lively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
Despite the ongoing legal drama, the author has recently returned to Instagram, removing photos of Lively and Baldoni from her account.