Justin Baldoni Loses $400 Million Lawsuit to Blake Lively After Major Legal Slip-Up

Looks like the drama between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively just hit its final chapter — and it’s not looking good for him.

The It Ends With Us director officially had his $400 million lawsuit tossed out on October 31, after missing a key court deadline. Yeah, a tiny mistake just cost him millions.

Baldoni had been in a heated legal war with Blake Lively, who you probably know from Gossip Girl and, of course, her massive Hollywood net worth. Things started going downhill after they co-starred in the 2024 movie It Ends With Us. What began as a professional partnership quickly turned into a full-blown celebrity feud that grabbed headlines everywhere.

Lively filed her own lawsuit last year, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and running a smear campaign to damage her image. In response, Baldoni went big — suing her, Ryan Reynolds, and even The New York Times for defamation and contract interference, asking for a whopping $400 million in damages.

But the judge wasn’t having it. Back in June, Judge Lewis Linman dismissed the case after Baldoni’s legal team failed to update their filing by the June 23 deadline. Basically, they dropped the ball. That one missed date officially ended Baldoni’s Hollywood defamation lawsuit.

Lively later acknowledged the court’s decision on her Instagram Story, subtly celebrating her win without saying too much.

The judge also pointed out that the New York Times article mentioned in Baldoni’s claim was protected by freedom of speech laws and legitimate journalism rights — meaning Baldoni’s argument didn’t have much ground to stand on anyway.

So yeah… what started as a blockbuster movie turned into a real-life courtroom drama — and now, it’s officially over.

After the ruling, The New York Times didn’t hold back. A spokesperson told Complex they were happy with the court’s decision, saying, “We’re grateful the court saw this lawsuit for what it really was — a baseless attempt to silence real journalism.”

So yeah, that’s that. The case is officially dead.

On October 31, Judge Lewis Linman signed off on a final order confirming that Justin Baldoni and his team at Wayfarer Studios completely missed their last shot to revive the $400 million lawsuit.

In his latest filing, the judge pointed out that Baldoni’s side had “failed to respond” to an earlier court notice sent on October 17 — one that basically asked them to explain why the case shouldn’t be closed for good. Since no one replied, the judge officially slammed the door shut on the whole thing.

According to the BBC, Judge Linman actually reached out to both sides before making the final call. Only Blake Lively’s legal team responded — and they weren’t just asking for closure. They pushed for a final judgment and requested that her claim for legal fees remain active.

The court agreed.

That means Baldoni didn’t just lose the Hollywood defamation case, he might now have to pay up — covering part of Blake Lively’s legal costs, depending on how the next phase plays out.

Talk about a brutal end to an already messy celebrity lawsuit.

Even with the loss, Justin Baldoni isn’t completely out of moves just yet. Word is, he still has the option to appeal the court’s decision once the issue of legal costs gets sorted out. But for now, this whole dismissal is a huge hit for his legal team — no way around it.

Back in the summer, Blake Lively and her lawyers were definitely celebrating. They called the ruling a “victory” and even said Baldoni’s lawsuit was a “sham” from the start. Pretty bold words, right?

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, didn’t hold back either. He clapped back, calling their reaction a “predictable declaration of victory” and saying it was flat-out “false.”

Freedman explained, “While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, it also allowed us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively. We’ll be adding more evidence and refining our allegations.”

And he didn’t stop there. “Ms. Lively’s own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday,” he added. “We’re confident in our case and look forward to her upcoming deposition — which I’ll personally be handling.”

Meanwhile, Blake Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni is still very much alive. The case is being heard in Manhattan federal court, and insiders say new evidence and testimony could surface in the next few months.

So yeah… this legal war between the It Ends With Us co-stars isn’t over yet — not even close.