Blake Lively’s A Simple Favor Sequel Will Premiere Amid Legal Drama

Blake Lively’s upcoming sequel to A Simple Favor has an official premiere date amid her ongoing legal drama with It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni.

It was announced via social media on Tuesday, February 4, that the follow-up film, which is titled Another Simple Favor, will premiere on March 7 at the 2025 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. Another Simple Favor will star Lively, 37 and Anna Kendrick as they reprise their roles as Emily and Stephanie, respectively.

In addition to Lively and Kendrick, 39, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Joshua Satine, and Ian Ho are also returning to the sequel. Michele Morrone, Elizabeth Perkins and Allison Janney round out the cast.

Following the thriller’s debut at the SXSW festival, Another Simple Favor will drop on Prime Video on May 1.

Another Simple Favor will be Lively’s first movie since the August 2024 debut of It Ends With Us and amid her ongoing legal battle with Baldoni, 41, who starred in and directed the project.

Rumors swirled in August 2024 that Lively and Baldoni were at odds while working on It Ends With Us after the twosome noticeably promoted the movie separately. Neither one of them spoke publicly about the reported rift at the time. However, Lively later filed a complaint against Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios production company in December 2024. The actress claimed in the docs that were initially reported by The New York Times that she was sexually harassed while on set.

Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations and subsequently filed a $250 million lawsuit against the newspaper and nine other plaintiffs following the coverage of Lively’s accusations. The New York Times told Us Weekly that they plan to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

Lively filed an additional lawsuit against Baldoni in a New York federal court, which mirrored her previous complaint. She alleged sexual harassment, a breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress and an invasion of privacy and lost wages. Baldoni has denied all allegations.

Baldoni filed another lawsuit in January for $400 million against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane. Baldoni accused the group of extortion, defamation and false light invasion of privacy, among other claims. Lively has also denied the director’s allegations.

Lively and Baldoni are scheduled to go to trial in March 2026. However, a federal judge stated in a hearing held on Monday, February 3, that the date could be moved up if the suits continue to be “litigated in the press.” Both Lively and Baldoni’s legal teams released statements to Us about how things are faring in court.

“We are pleased with the result of today’s hearing and eager to move forward immediately with discovery in this case,” Lively’s reps shared in a statement. “The Court granted our request that all attorneys in the matter actually follow the rule of law and not make any statements that could prejudice a jury. This case deals with serious allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation. We will hold the defendants accountable, and we are confident that once all the evidence is submitted in this matter, Ms. Lively will prevail.”

Baldoni’s attorneys shared that the actor was “devastated” but is hopeful to “move the case along as quickly as possible.”

“We just couldn’t be more pleased with how the case was handled today, how it was managed,” the statement read. “We’re going to move as quickly as we possibly can and prove our innocence, in a world where sometimes people judge you before they give you a chance. And we’re going to change that.”