It Ends With Us, directed by Justin Baldoni and starring Blake Lively, halts production indefinitely as the WGA strike continues.
The WGA strike claims another victim as It Ends With Us, the Justin Baldoni-directed film starring Blake Lively, halts production indefinitely. Less than half of the movie was complete before the difficult decision to cease production arrived on Thursday. According to Deadline, The reason for the cancelation “was an inability to persuade the WGA that the co-financing status of Wayfarer Studios was enough to consider that the production was within WGA guidelines, even though the film will be a negative pickup for signatory Sony Pictures.”
It Ends With Us was filming in New Jersey when producers called for a temporary hold on production while trying to negotiate with the WGA. Unfortunately, the WGA denied the request to resume production, resulting in the film’s loss of roughly 140 jobs.
“Due to the ongoing WGA strike and the lost days we have experienced due to picketing, we must make the difficult decision to temporarily shut down production,” Wayfarer and Baldoni wrote in an e-mail on Monday. “We want to express our deepest gratitude for your incredible patience and unwavering dedication throughout this challenging period.”
Equipment is in the process of being returned, signaling a wrap on production until the ongoing strike resolves. Even then, it’s still being determined if production on It Ends With Us will continue past the film’s latest shutdown.
“It was a mixture — people were upset because they liked working with Justin,” a crewmember said in light of the shutdown. “There was already tension about some ADs who’d been fired. People were sad but also respected the WGA picket situation. The more solitarily we can have with the WGA, making the producers talk to the writers and get them back to the negotiating table, the faster everyone will get back to work.”
It Ends With Us is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller, which Christy Hall adapted. The plot revolves around a young woman going through the tumultuous stages of an abusive relationship. After moving to Boston after college, she decides to start her own business as a florist, only to fall in love with a young neurosurgeon. Baldoni stars alongside Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, and Steve Monroe as cast members.
As the WGA strike continues, we’ll watch for more news about It Ends With Us.