The legal showdown between Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively against Lively’s It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni has officially hit a boiling point. On Tuesday, March 18, Reynolds and his legal team filed a motion to dismiss Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit—throwing some serious accusations of their own into the mix.
At the center of the Ryan Reynolds Justin Baldoni feud is Baldoni’s claim that Reynolds privately referred to him as a “predator.” Baldoni argues that this characterization damaged his reputation amid the ongoing drama surrounding the production of It Ends With Us. But Reynolds’ legal team is making it clear they’re not backing down.
Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
“The entirety of Mr. Baldoni’s case appears to be based on Mr. Reynolds allegedly privately calling Mr. Baldoni a ‘predator,’ but here’s the problem — that is not defamation unless they can show that Mr. Reynolds did not believe that statement to be true,” attorneys Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson wrote in the motion. “The complaint doesn’t allege that. In fact, it suggests the opposite: that Mr. Reynolds genuinely believes Mr. Baldoni is a predator.”
Reynolds’ motion further references allegations from his wife, Blake Lively, who has accused Baldoni of inappropriate behavior and retaliation on the set of It Ends With Us. Lively’s lawsuit, which was amended in February, now claims that two additional unnamed female co-stars are prepared to testify about Baldoni’s actions.
Reynolds’ Team: Baldoni Attacking Reynolds for ‘Living the Values’ Baldoni Claims to Stand For
A spokesperson for Reynolds took an even stronger stance, framing Baldoni’s lawsuit as a baseless attempt to go after Reynolds for living the very principles Baldoni promotes in public.
“The claims filed against Mr. Reynolds are simply a list of grievances attempting to shame him for being the man Mr. Baldoni has built his brand pretending to be,” the spokesperson said. “A man who is ‘confident enough to listen’ to the woman in his life,” the spokesperson said.
“We look forward to this lawsuit being dismissed and to collecting on Steve Sarowitz’s $100 million pledge by recovering Mr. Reynolds’ costs and attorneys’ fees incurred to toss this frivolous case,” the spokesperson added.
The Nicepool Controversy: More Fuel to the Fire
No discussion of the Ryan Reynolds Justin Baldoni legal battle would be complete without revisiting the ongoing speculation around Deadpool & Wolverine’s Nicepool character. Fans and commentators have long suspected that Reynolds and Lively used the film to mock Baldoni directly, and the evidence has only continued to pile up.
For example, a deleted scene reveals Nicepool joking about starting a podcast to monetize the women’s movement—a clear nod to Baldoni’s real-life Man Enough podcast. Nicepool’s exaggerated “male feminist” persona, smug tone, and long hair all seem to mirror Baldoni’s public image. Additionally, in the film’s climax, Nicepool is eliminated by Lively in front of a flower shop, which just happens to be the central setting of It Ends With Us.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has maintained that these are not coincidences, stating: “There’s no question it relates to Justin. If someone is seriously mistreated, you don’t make fun of it—it’s a serious issue.”
Where the Ryan Reynolds/Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni Legal Battle Stands
With both Reynolds’ motion to dismiss and Lively’s lawsuits moving forward, the next steps in the Ryan Reynolds Justin Baldoni battle will play out in courtrooms over the coming year. Both sides opted out of pre-trial mediation earlier this year, and trials are currently set for March 2026.
Public sentiment has shifted sharply in recent months, especially after Baldoni launched his website revealing text messages, emails, and a timeline that challenged the public narrative. Meanwhile, backlash against Lively intensified when Amazon disabled likes and comments on her Another Simple Favor trailer following overwhelming negative reception.
Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
With Reynolds now officially calling Baldoni a “predator” in legal filings and moving to have the case dismissed, the stakes in the Blake Lively Ryan Reynolds Justin Baldoni feud couldn’t be higher.
Do you agree with what Ryan Reynolds said about Justin Baldoni? Sound off in the comments below and let us know!
Baldoni has all the receipts against Lively. Reynolds may think he’s just defending his wife but this comes off as pathetic and desperate. I also can’t shake the feeling it’s denial of regrets about marrying her. I’ve known a couple of guys who did exactly this sort of thing before being unable to ignore just how toxic and/or insane their ex-wives were.
There are so many fights out there that I have no pony in, and never will. I’m tired of being a battlefront for stories like this…. and the whole Israel Palestine debacle. I’m not a practicing, but I’m still a Christian value fella that wish their battlefront would play out on their own battlefield. This is where I stand apart. Tired of non Christian problems from non Christian tribes plaguing Christians. Also tired of Christian’s not picking up on this.