Published: November 02, 2025 03:05 PM IST
Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds has been dismissed after he missed a court deadline to amend his claims.
Director and actor Justin Baldoni’s $400 million extortion and defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds has been officially dismissed after he failed to meet a court-set deadline to amend his claims.
Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit dismissed
According to a news report of ComplexIn a ruling signed on October 31, U.S. District Judge Lewis Lyman for the Southern District of New York confirmed that Justin and his company, Wayfarer Studios, missed the opportunity to revive the case, ending their legal fight. The court said the plaintiffs failed to respond to an October 17 order asking why a final judgment should not be entered, thereby formally closing the case.
It is the latest blow for Justin, whose complaint was first dismissed in June 2025 when Judge Lyman determined that his defamation allegations lacked merit. The court found that the statements quoted in Justin’s lawsuit, many of which were taken from Blake’s sexual harassment complaint and the New York Times report, were legally protected under litigation and journalistic privilege.
Although the ruling ends Justin’s defamation and extortion claims against Blake, Ryan and The New York Times, he can still appeal after the court addresses motions related to Lively’s request to recover legal fees.
About Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s lawsuit
Justin initially filed the high-profile lawsuit in January 2025, calling it a “retaliation” in one of Hollywood’s most controversial legal confrontations.
The move comes a month after Blake sued Justin and Wayfarer Studios, accusing her of sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of his film It Ends with Us, which Justin directed and co-starred in.
Blake’s filing describes “disturbing” behavior on set, including an incident where Justin allegedly “leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear to her neck,” telling her, “It smells so good.” She also claimed that he insisted on including explicit scenes and made inappropriate comments about her marriage to Ryan.
