Production has been shut down on Blake Lively's new film It Ends With Us and will not pick back up until the Writers Guild of America strike is over.
Less than half of the movie has been shot but the decision was made Thursday after the studio was unable to convince the WGA that the co-financing status of Wayfarer Studios is enough to place it within the union's guidelines. Production was disrupted earlier in the week by picketers, and an email was sent by Wayfarer and director Justin Baldoni to the crew on Thursday June 16.
"Due to the ongoing WGA strike and the lost days we have experienced due to picketing, we must make the difficult decision to temporarily shut down production," the email, seen by Deadline, reads.
"We want to express our deepest gratitude for your incredible patience and unwavering dedication throughout this challenging period."
It Ends With Us is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's controversial novel which took social media by storm in 2022. The book – which has around three billion views on TikTok, is a #1 Sunday Times bestseller and stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for over 90 weeks – is loosely based on Hoover's mother’s own journey when Colleen was a child.
The female protagonist, Lily (played by Blake) grew up in a toxic household, but she never gave up and worked hard, moving to Boston after graduating college. After the death of her father, the book follows Lily as she meets a new romantic partner in Ryle Kincaid.
But their relationship begins to mimic those Lily had seen growing up, to devastating effects, and as the new relationship overwhelms Lily, her thoughts turn to her first love, Atlas Corrigan, and a link to the past she left behind.
However the book has been criticized by many for romanticizing domestic abuse, especially as the promotion of the story across social media and by publishers has focused on the steamy elements of the text.
The film has been shooting in New Jersey and Blake has been pictured during production taking outfit layering to a whole new level.
In looks for the maximalists to swoon over, she wore a pair of oversized, vintage patterned mustard trousers with a blue quilted trouser layer boasting out from above her waistband, paired with a navy crop top (championing the upper midriff trend), layered with a buttoned down yellow striped shirt and a mustard yellow blazer.
With the end of the strike not yet in sight, it remains unclear when filming may resume, and if the film will hit an anticipated 2024 release date.