Blake Lively is once again facing challenges in the public eye.
Recently, allegations surfaced suggesting that her co-star Justin Baldoni, who also directed their film *It Ends With Us*, initiated a smear campaign against her following her accusations of sexual harassment. While Baldoni has firmly denied these claims, the legal proceedings are ongoing. Undeterred, Lively continues to advance her career, with *A Simple Favor 2* on the horizon, co-starring Anna Kendrick.
A Sequel in the Works
The original film, *A Simple Favor*, was released in 2018, featuring Kendrick as Stephanie and Lively as Emily Nelson. The film garnered positive reviews and achieved a remarkable $97.6 million at the global box office, making a sequel a natural step forward. In May 2022, it was confirmed that both Kendrick and Lively, along with director Paul Feig, would reprise their roles for this new installment. However, the project’s status has recently come under scrutiny, particularly due to an unverified claim made by a user named Eric B on the platform X (formerly Twitter).
BREAKING: Amazon shelves A Simple Favor 2 indefinitely. Despite glowing test screenings, Blake Lively’s refusal to promote—amid her messy legal battle with Justin Baldoni—and growing tensions with Anna Kendrick have derailed the sequel. Anna is furious. Paul Feig is… pic.twitter.com/aGONyWVdma
— Eric B (@Oflululemon) January 10, 2025
The Misinformation Challenge
In a misguided attempt to present himself as a credible source, Eric B’s claims included allegations that the film had been indefinitely shelved due to Lively’s refusal to engage in promotional activities amidst her ongoing legal issues. He also hinted at rising tensions between Lively and Kendrick. While rumors about their relationship have circulated since 2017, particularly following a less-than-stellar MTV News interview with Kendrick, these claims largely stem from social media speculation rather than solid evidence.
Moreover, an insider’s comments sent to a TikTok account suggested a significant rift, stating that the actresses “HATED each other.” However, co-star Henry Golding publicly dismissed such notions, asserting that he did not detect any animosity between them.
Clarifications from the Director
As the rumors gained traction, they were met with immediate skepticism. These allegations seemed reminiscent of Baldoni’s earlier smear tactics against Lively. Paul Feig responded directly to Eric B’s claims, labeling them as “total BS,” and emphasized that the film was completed and scheduled for release soon. His comments highlighted the complex nature of film distribution, clarifying that a finished product does not automatically mean an immediate release.
My friend, it’s called post production, which generally takes over half a year at least when you factor in editing, scoring, special effects, sound mixing, close captioning and all the technical quality control that has to be done. Our post schedule always had us finishing… https://t.co/tJWjadZxsA
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) January 11, 2025
Assessing the Credibility
Investigating Eric B’s account reveals a pattern of anti-Lively content, including connections to more extreme far-right views. This raises questions about the legitimacy of his claims regarding the film and the actress. Considering these factors, it’s prudent to approach his assertions with caution and skepticism.
For further details, you can read about the situation on Source & Images.
Leave a Reply