Justin Baldoni is pushing back hard against Ryan Reynolds, urging a federal judge to keep the “Deadpool” star entangled in a $400 million defamation lawsuit. The legal drama continues to escalate, with new filings shedding light on just how messy things have become.
In a court filing submitted on Tuesday (April 1), Baldoni and his company Wayfarer Studios argue that Reynolds, 48, played a direct and essential role in what they describe as a “smear campaign” that has damaged reputations and business interests. The legal team is asking Judge Lewis J. Liman to deny Reynolds’ motion to dismiss the suit.
“The FAC specifically alleges ample facts to support the Wayfarer Parties’ claims against him, based on both his direct actions and his liability as a co-conspirator,” the filing reads.
The suit is part of a larger legal tangle stemming from allegations made by Reynolds’ wife, actress Blake Lively. In December 2024, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of “It Ends With Us” and claimed he retaliated with a targeted smear campaign. Baldoni has strongly denied the allegations and hit back with a countersuit for defamation and extortion.
Reynolds’ legal team, led by attorneys Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, previously filed a motion to dismiss, asserting that even if Reynolds did privately refer to Baldoni as a “predator,” that alone doesn’t constitute defamation unless it can be proven he didn’t believe the statement.
“They once again claim defamation without alleging who was defamed, what specifically was said, or how anyone suffered actual harm,” a spokesperson for Reynolds said.
But Baldoni’s camp insists otherwise. His lawyer Bryan Freedman fired back, saying: “His fingerprints have been all over this smear campaign against Justin and the Wayfarer team since day one.”
The latest filing even cites a comment Reynolds made during a July 2024 press conference, where he quipped, “I’ve realised that I’m too big to fail at this point, so I just crush my enemies and drink their blood.” Though clearly said in jest alongside Hugh Jackman, Baldoni’s team is using it to underscore Reynolds’ alleged aggressiveness in public disputes.
Meanwhile, Blake Lively has also filed a motion to dismiss Baldoni’s countersuit, calling it “vengeful and rambling.” Her request has been described by Baldoni’s legal team as “abhorrent.”
Despite the public mudslinging, the case is moving forward. The trial date has been set for March 2026, and with Justin Baldoni refusing to let Ryan Reynolds off the hook, the tension between Hollywood A-listers is far from cooling down.
This high-stakes legal war continues to make headlines and could have far-reaching implications for all parties involved. Stay tuned.
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