In a sweeping decision capping one of Hollywood’s most closely watched legal battles, a federal judge on Monday dismissed two high-stakes lawsuits brought by “It Ends With Us” director Justin Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, against actress Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, The New York Times, and others — ruling that the wide-ranging claims, including defamation, extortion and breach of contract, failed to meet legal standards.

The case stemmed from a December 2024 New York Times article detailing sexual harassment allegations that Lively made against Baldoni during production of the romantic drama, based on a formal complaint she filed with California’s Civil Rights Department. Baldoni and Wayfarer alleged that the article — and Lively’s broader conduct —

See Full Page