The behind-the-scenes drama between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has escalated into one of Hollywood’s most contentious legal battles.

Attorneys for the two parties met in court on Monday for the first hearing in the case, during which U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman warned both sides to stop litigating their case in the media — and cautioning that he may move up the trial, which is currently set for March 2026.

The hearing comes two days after Baldoni launched a new website containing an amended complaint as well as a timeline of alleged text messages between him and Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The website was launched days after Lively and Reynolds filed notice with the judge that they would seek to dismiss Baldoni‘s defamation countersuit.

The feud began during the film’s August 2024 press tour, amid rumors of tension between Lively and Baldoni, who also directed the $351 million box office hit based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.

At the time, Lively drew criticism online from fans who believed she trivialized the film’s heavy themes of domestic abuse. Meanwhile, Baldoni faced allegations of creating an uncomfortable work environment.

By December, Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint, accusing Baldoni and others of a smear campaign after she raised concerns over Baldoni's alleged behavior.

Baldoni denied the claims and countersued the New York Times for libel after it reported on Lively’s allegations. He later filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and their publicists in January, alleging defamation and extortion. That same month, Lively initiated a federal lawsuit against Baldoni, reiterating her claims of harassment and retaliation.

In a statement to Yahoo Entertainment, Lively’s team called Baldoni's lawsuit “desperate” and accused the director of employing tactics to discredit her claims.

As both parties continue to present their cases, the entertainment industry is watching closely and anticipating further developments in the high-profile saga.