A federal judge has officially ended Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit against actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, marking the latest development in an ongoing legal dispute involving the *It Ends With Us* director and the celebrity couple, according to court records obtained by The New York Post.
Judge Lewis Liman signed an order on Friday finalizing the dismissal after Baldoni, 41, and his company, Wayfarer Studios, failed to submit an amended complaint by the court’s deadline. This decision follows an earlier dismissal of Baldoni’s case in June.
The judge noted that Baldoni had been warned on October 17 that a final judgment would be entered if no further action was taken. Of the defendants, Lively was the only one to respond, requesting that final judgment be entered while keeping her motion for legal fees active—a request the court approved.
Baldoni may still appeal the ruling.
### Background of the Legal Dispute
The dispute began in December 2024 when Blake Lively, 38, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment on the set of *It Ends With Us* and of coordinating what she described as a “campaign to destroy her reputation” following the film’s release.
Baldoni denied the allegations and responded by filing a $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, 49, and their longtime publicist Leslie Sloane, claiming defamation and extortion. All parties named in the countersuit denied the allegations.
In June, Judge Liman dismissed both Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit and a separate $250 million lawsuit he filed against *The New York Times*, which he accused of libel and false light invasion of privacy related to its reporting on Lively’s harassment allegations.
### Aftermath and Statements
Following the dismissal, Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, called the court’s decision a “complete vindication” for the actress.
“As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it,” they stated. The attorneys also indicated their intent to seek attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and others involved in what they described as “abusive litigation.”
Lively herself also spoke publicly after the June ruling:
> “While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back.”
She added that she remains “resolved to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, integrity, dignity, and their story.”
### What Happens Next?
Although Baldoni’s countersuit has now been dismissed, Lively’s original lawsuit against him remains active. It is currently scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.
The ongoing legal battle continues to unfold, capturing the attention of fans and observers alike.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/11/judge-brings-a-stunning-end-to-justin-baldonis-400-million-hollywood-lawsuit/
