Judge says that March 2026 -Thisret case will be moved up if the case continues to become “trial in the press”

Attorneys for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni attended their first hearing on February 3 for It ends with us Drama – where the judge promised to move the expected trial in March 2026 if the respective parties continued to litigation in the press – but that’s just one of several new developments in the case.

Over the weekend, Baldoni’s legal team filed a changed lawsuit against Lively, which he is suing for $ 400 million with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for civilian pressing, defamation and invasion of privacy. They also launched one Website with documents related to the case.

Lively, the legal battle began, first with a complaint, and then a trial that claimed that Baldoni sexually harassed her on the set of the 2024 movie, which was based on Colleen Hoovers’ best -selling novel, and then launched a smear campaign against her, When she spoke up. Baldoni directed the film and played Lively’s love interest.

What happened at 1. Hearing

Neither lively nor Baldoni was expected to be present for the hearing, Cnn reported and that turned out to be the case.

According to the deadline, the hearing was monitored by New York, Federal Judge Lewis J. Liman, centered around a potential gag order. Liman said that if the case continued to be “launched in the press”, the trial of March 2026 would be moved up because the media resilience could smash a jurypool.

Variety reported that the referee advised both sides to comply New York Rules of Professional Behaviorthat block lawyers from making comments that could have a “significant probability” of influencing a jury. However, the rule allows lawyers to talk to the press in terms of protecting their clients from negative advertising.

Deadline reported that Liman said Lively will not be deposited at this time. The judge also said that Lively does not get to choose who deposits her.

That’s important because Baldoni’s team, who went into the consultation, said they wanted Lively’s deposition to happen as soon as possible, but Lively’s lawyers indicated that she wouldn’t agree to be deposited by Baldoni’s main lawyer, Bryan Freedman. Lively and Reynold’s lawyers sought a protective order to stop Freedman from what they said was a “harassing and retaliatory media campaign” against the couple.

The question of Baldoni’s trial was discussed in court according to the deadline. Baldoni’s lawyer said that only documents that can be accessed in public are on the website.

The judge questioned the 168-page timeline Baldoni linked to Baldoni’s 31 January changed complaint. He said he thinks it violates the federal legal procedure because it is a narrative. Lively’s lawyer said they are planning to get this document hit.

Lively’s trial and Baldoni’s recess will be combined into trial that both parties agreed. What was new was that Freedman told the referee he was ready to pull the plug on Baldoni’s separate trial against the New York Times, the deadline reported. That’s because Baldoni’s changed complaint added the news site as an defendant.

Live Light’s main lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, said they got no notice that Baldoni added the New York Times to his recess until it was reported by media own, potentially with new claims.

Outside of the court, Gottlieb told journalists that he was “very happy” with how the consultation continued. Freedman said he “couldn’t be more satisfied” and wants the case to “move as fast as we might and prove our innocence.”

Alongside considering is lively and Reynolds’ movement about rejecting Baldoni’s trial completely.

Baldoni launched the public site with trial documents

The members of Baldoni’s legal team said they planned to share documents related to the case on a dedicated site aimed at defending the filmmaker against Lively’s claims and followed through on Friday.

The Websitetitled Lesegesinfo, the changed complaint as well as a 168-page “timeline for relevant events” related to the dispute and the film’s production. It begins with an E -mail from Baldoni to Hoover on January 1, 2019, about It ends with us Book and ends with the requirement of the New York Times -Metadata on January 29, 2025.

Included were previously unseen – and non -verified – text messages, including a lively sent to Baldoni in April 2023, discussing a rewrite of the film’s roof terrace.

“If you knew me (personally) anymore, you would have a sense of how flirting and delicious the bullet buster will play. It’s my love language. Spicy and playfully bold, never with teeth…. “She allegedly texted Baldoni.

Another was allegedly sent from Reynolds to Baldoni in February 2023 and said how excited he was too lively to work with Baldoni.

“I’m excited that Blake will open his creative piggy bank with someone as dynamic as you. This will be incredible. I happen to love you, Justin, ”Reynolds allegedly wrote.

Baldoni, who claimed he was being stumbled by Lively in a bid for creative control of the film, also claimed that the actress refused to meet with the intimacy coordinator of the film. He shared notes from this meeting.

“These notes would later become the basis of Lively’s complaint, where she says Baldoni would talk about her own sex life and insert satisfactory scenes with Livly’s character orgasming,” Baldoni’s timeline said. “As can be seen in the notes, these mentions directly from the notes of intimacy coordinator. … Ideally, these conversations would have taken place directly between lively and intimacy coordinator directly, as Baldoni had requested; However, Lively refused to meet with her. “

Baldoni also claimed that Reynolds had fired him from their mutual agency, WME, which WME has denied. The timeline of the site states that Baldoni’s production company was “informed that Reynolds contacted Baldoni’s personal agent at WME” On July 15, 2024 and called Baldoni “A ‘deteriorating predators.'” It also claimed that Reynolds “approached one Senior Manager at WME ”on Deadpool & Wolverine Premiere after -party on July 22 and said, “The agency is working with a ‘sexual predator.'”

Baldoni also published on the website a statement which he claimed that lively and Reynolds demanded that he relieve in August 2024. This was around the premiere as the rumors ran violently about the fight between the co -stars. Baldoni said he refused to make the statement.

“It ends with us was a troubled production for which we take full responsibility, ”ran the alleged statement. “We are very bored of everyone, we got upset privately and in public. Blake Lively, Colleen Hoover, the whole role crew and the crew led with professionalism every step on the road, any negativity aimed at them is ours to own. We mutually agreed that the role crew would promote the film separately and understood why. “

The site’s launch followed the release of Baldoni’s team of a 10-minute clip of a slow dancing scene Baldoni and Lively Shot for the movie. Baldoni also included some texts in his litigation against new and lively.

Lively’s original trial against Baldoni also included texts. Baldoni claimed he was lubricated by the news site and lively because they took texts that he had sent and reported them out of context.

A short timeline for the lively v. Baldoni legal battle

With more litigation and even more plaintiffs, here’s a quick guide to the legal battle …

9 August 2024: It ends with us hits theaters. Prior to the release, there were rumors of a feud between the director’s actor and actress.

December 20, 2024: Lively archives a complaint about sexual harassment against Baldoni with California’s Civil Rights Department.

December 21, 2024: The New York Times story, “‘We can bury anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Commercial Machine” comes out with lyrics alleged to show Baldoni’s alleged campaign to stain the reputation of Livly after she accused him of mismatch.

December 31, 2024: Lively a federal trial against Baldoni, his Wayfarer Studios and his publicists, claiming she was retaliating for reporting for mismatch.

Baldoni and his publicists submit a $ 250 million trial against the New York Times for libel over the article.

January 16, 2024: Baldoni counts Lively, Reynolds and her publicist for $ 400 million and accuses them of defamation.

31 January 2024: Baldoni submits a changed complaint against Lively, Reynolds, her publicist and New York Times and launches his trial.