(Image Source: Marvel Studios)
The legal battle surrounding "It Ends with Us" continues to escalate, drawing in more individuals. Justin Baldoni, the film's director and male lead—who was previously accused by co-star Blake Lively of on-set harassment and orchestrating a media smear campaign—recently alleged through his lawyers that Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, created a "Good Deadpool" character in his upcoming film "Deadpool & Wolverine" specifically to mock him. Now, Baldoni is reportedly seeking to bring in Tim Miller, the director of the original "Deadpool" film (pictured right), to testify and bolster his claims.
(Image Source: 20th Century Studios)
Baldoni's motivation for involving Miller stems from the assertion that creative control over "It Ends with Us" was ultimately seized by Lively, who also served as a producer. Baldoni claims he was sidelined by Lively and excluded from the final cut. Furthermore, Baldoni alleges that Reynolds, alongside his wife, effectively took over the entire film, participating in rewrites for the opening rooftop encounter between Baldoni and Lively, and even appearing in a comedic promotional short for "It Ends with Us" (see link below). Baldoni intends to cite Miller's departure from "Deadpool 2" as a precedent, aiming to demonstrate that Reynolds has a pattern of usurping creative authority.
Miller had previously confirmed that his departure from "Deadpool 2" was indeed due to significant creative differences with Reynolds. However, given Reynolds' roles as writer, star, and producer of the "Deadpool" franchise, the creative direction was inherently centered on his vision, leading Miller to ultimately step away. Baldoni aims to use this history to argue that Reynolds forced Miller out, and he hopes Miller will testify about the specifics of their professional separation.
Beyond Miller, Baldoni's legal team has also drawn Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger into the fray. Baldoni has reportedly sent litigation hold letters to both executives, demanding they preserve all documents and data pertinent to him. Given that Feige is a producer on "Deadpool & Wolverine" and Iger also oversees its production, Baldoni presumably believes they possess evidence proving that the "Good Deadpool" character was specifically designed to ridicule him.