Justin Baldoni, who directed “It Ends With Us,” owns the film rights to Hoover’s 2022 follow-up novel, “It Starts With Us.”

Colleen Hoover reveals how she’d feel about an It Ends With Us movie sequel

Justin Baldoni, who directed “It Ends With Us,” owns the film rights to Hoover’s 2022 follow-up novel, “It Starts With Us.”

By Kathleen Perricone

September 24, 2026 9:00 p.m. ET

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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in ‘It Ends With Us’. Credit:

Sony Pictures Entertainment

- Colleen Hoover reveals how she’d feel about an *It Ends With Us* sequel following a legal battle between actress Blake Lively and actor/director Justin Baldoni.

- “If they decide to make another one, I’m all for it,” admitted the bestselling author.

- Hoover also reflected on the Lively-Baldoni drama, saying, “I feel for everyone, you know?”

The drama surrounding* **It Ends With Us* paused production of its sequel, but Colleen Hoover hopes it won’t be the end after all.

The author’s *It Starts With Us* picks up where her 2016 bestseller left off, as Lily (portrayed by Blake Lively in the 2024 film) moves on from Ryle (Justin Baldoni) with Atlas (Brandon Sklenar). Baldoni, who also directed* It Ends With Us*, owns the film rights to *It Starts With Us, *and after his notorious legal battle with Lively — which just finally ended after nearly two years — the sequel remains in limbo.

But if it were up to Hoover, she’d restart the project.

“I mean, I don’t own the rights to the film sequel,” she acknowledged to *Variety*. “So, if they decide to make another one, I’m all for it!”

Colleen Hoover, Brandon Sklenar, and Blake Lively promoting ‘It Ends With Us’ in 2024.

Eric Charbonneau/Getty

Hoover, who’s currently promoting the adaptation of her novel *Verity* starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, also reflected on the behind-the-scenes drama that overshadowed *It Ends With Us* — yet also propelled it to $351 million at the box office.

“I feel for everyone, you know? As the author, I was — and am — so proud of that movie,” Hoover said. “I think they did a great job. I think Blake was great in it, Justin was great in it, Brandon was great in it, and I saw the completed film before any of that happened, or I knew it was happening, so I was proud of the film! And I still am. It was a huge hit. So, that’s what I focus on, and I’m grateful that we’re here doing another one [with *Verity*].”

Baldoni began to distance himself from *It Starts With Us* in August 2024 amid rumors of his feud with Lively. Asked about directing the sequel, he told *Entertainment Tonight*, “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct. That’s what I think.”

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Justin Baldoni and wife Emily open up about ‘the injustice and the pain’ of past 2 years amid Blake Lively legal saga

Three months later, the actress filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment during the making of *It Ends With Us* (which was eventually thrown out by a judge) and later coordinating a smear campaign against her.

Baldoni responded in January 2025 with his own countersuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, demanding $400 million in damages for alleged defamation, civil extortion, and breach of contract (which was also dismissed by a judge).

Lively and Baldoni ultimately reached a settlement in May. Just last month, the actress was awarded $407,000 in legal costs.

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Baldoni broke his silence in July, with his wife Emily by his side. “There have been so many painful things that have been spoken into existence over the last couple of years, that created so much noise... If you’ve ever been through something traumatic, you know that healing isn’t linear. It looks different every day.”

He continued, “We have had to rethink for ourselves what is real and what matters. It’s this. It’s our family, it’s our friends, it’s our community, who have been there for us, it’s our faith.”

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