Last night, the news broke that It Ends With Us actor and director Justin Baldoni has officially sued co-star Blake Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds to the tune of $400 million - and it goes well beyond the Nicepool situation!
The lawsuit claims that the couple hijacked his film and attempted to "destroy him with false allegations of sexual harassment." The 179-page complaint also accuses Lively and Reynolds of civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.
You can check out an excerpt from Variety's report below.
"Lively summoned him to her penthouse in New York, where Reynolds and a 'megacelebrity friend' — who appears to be Taylor Swift — both praised Lively’s version. In a later text message quoted in the complaint, Baldoni praised Lively’s contribution, and said he 'would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor.' In fact, according to the complaint, Baldoni feared that he was being pressured by two of the world’s biggest celebrities — whom Lively called her 'dragons' — into acceding to her wishes."
Baldoni has also sent a litigation hold letter to Marvel Studios and Disney, demanding that they share all documents relating to the development of the Nicepool character in Deadpool and Wolverine, who he believes was created solely to mock him.
Lively has now hit back with a statement from her legal team (via Deadline), which you can check out in full below.
"This latest lawsuit from Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its associates is another chapter in the abuser playbook. This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.
Wayfarer has opted to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch meritless lawsuits, and threaten litigation to overwhelm the public’s ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations. They are trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni. The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.
Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing. In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail."
Baldoni would seem to be outmatched here, but some believe he may have a case. Both parties want a jury trial, and if they can't come to some sort of settlement (which seems unlikely at this point), they are sure to get one.
UPDATE: EW has now shared some more details from Baldoni's suit, and the following excerpt is sure to raise a few eyebrows.
"According to Baldoni's legal complaint — obtained Thursday by Entertainment Weekly — the Jane the Virgin actor participated in the film's Aug. 6 premiere despite, as the documents allege, being 'informed that Lively demanded he not attend' the event. The complaint alleges that Baldoni ultimately went under 'demeaning and humiliating conditions,' and shared photos of him and his guests reportedly held in a basement containing concession items for the theater above."
The MPAA gave Deadpool and Wolverine an official R-rating for: "Strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore, and sexual references."
“Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date - Deadpool & Wolverine," reads the new synopsis. "A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier... reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to - F*ck. Synopses are so f*cking stupid.”
In addition to Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in the title roles, Deadpool and Wolverine will see Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Rob Delaney (Peter), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) And Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio) return as their respective characters, and they'll be joined by franchise newcomers Emma Corrin (The Crown) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), who will play a TV agent and Charles Xavier's evil counterpart, Cassandra Nova.
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool and Wolverine from a script by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells.
The movie is now available on Digital platform, Disney+ and DVD/Blu-ray.