Will there be a sequel to the Blake Lively movie It Ends with Us?

It Ends with Us seemed doomed before it hit theaters. There was tension between star/producer Blake Lively and star/director Justin Baldoni, and all signs pointed to the romantic drama being an underperformer at the box office.

The opposite has proven true. It Ends with Us has been a massive hit with audiences, grossing over $240 million on a $25 million budget. It managed to dethrone Deadpool & Wolverine for the number one spot, marking the rare instance in which spouses (Lively and Ryan Reynolds) opened back to back number one films.

A source claims Lively and Baldoni won't reunite

It Ends with Us is based on a novel, and that novel has a sequel. And that sequel is something that Hollywood is definitely considering, based on how successful the film has been. The problem? The film's stars could not be less enthused to reunite.

The rumor going around is that Lively used her clout as a star to significantly alter the film, which Baldoni resented. Variety recently spoke with a source close to the film, and they made it very clear that more time together on a set is the last thing Baldoni wants:

"There’s probably no world where these two will work together again... This is uncharted territory, and nobody has any idea of what a sequel could look like."

Baldoni suggested Lively direct the sequel herself

This is not the first time the kobish has been put on the idea of a sequel. Shortly after the film's release, Baldoni was asked whether he would consider returning, and he made it clear that he was opposed to the idea.

Baldoni suggested that his co-star, Lively, take over direction on a second film, bolstering the theory that she and Ryan Reynolds took a lot of the creative control out of his hands. "I think there are better people for that," he told Entertainment Tonight. "I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct." As of right now, there are no plans for a sequel.

That said, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have the cinematic rights to the sequel novel, It Starts with Us. Legally, he gets the make the final decision as to whether it gets turned into a film. Money talks at the end of the day, though, so we will have to wait and see just how much it will be worth to avoid another allegedly difficult production with Lively.