Colleen Hoover conspiracy theory alleges author wants to reclaim It Ends With Us rights by taking advantage of Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni drama

A new conspiracy theory about It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover alleges that her silence regarding the ongoing legal skirmish between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively is due to the morality clause in her contract with Baldoni. Lively and Baldoni starred as the protagonists in the latter's directorial It Ends With Us, which was released in August 2024.

After Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, accusing him of s*xual harassment and inappropriate workplace conduct, among other serious claims, Colleen Hoover took to social media to support Lively. However, she has since deactivated her social media account and remained silent about the ongoing legal battle.

According to the conspiracy theory, Hoover's silence is because she plans to reclaim the rights to her book from Justin Baldoni. The theory, based on a viral Reddit post, suggests that there was a morality clause in Hoover's contract with Baldoni while selling him her book's rights.

As per the clause, Colleen Hoover will have the option to obtain the rights to her book back and then resell them if the previous owner (in this case, Baldoni) is accused of something as heinous as s*xual harassment. The theory further alleges that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively want to buy the rights from Baldoni and work on a potential sequel (based on Hoover's sequel to the original novel, It Starts With Us).

The viral video also brings to light an interview of Lively and Hoover, where the actress states that she will "follow Hoover everywhere" if she has her "rights." Her comment came after being asked about a potential sequel to It Ends With Us. In other words, the conspiracy theory claims Blake Lively's allegations against Justin Baldoni could help Colleen Hoover reclaim the rights to the novel and resell it to Reynolds and Lively.

It is essential to note that conspiracy theories are mere speculations and are not backed by facts. The aforementioned theory has not been proven or reported officially. These are mere speculative theories formed by fans and netizens.

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Colleen Hoover backs Blake Lively in her legal battle against Justin Baldoni

"It Ends With Us" UK Gala Screening - VIP Arrivals - Source: Getty

On December 20, 2024, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against Justin Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios. Her complaint accused the parties of alleged s*xual harassment, inappropriate workplace conduct, and indulging in a campaign to tarnish her reputation.

Lively's complaints pertained to her time working with Baldoni on the 2024 film It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel of the same name. The film deals with the consequences and trauma of domestic violence and explores a toxic relationship between the leads. Blake Lively plays the female protagonist, Lily Bloom, in the film, while Justin Baldoni plays her husband, Ryle Kincaid.

Shortly after Lively filed her complaint against Justin Baldoni, Colleen Hoover came out in support of the actress. In her Instagram story, she shared a link to the report and wrote, tagging Lively:

"You have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt."

On January 16, 2025, Justin Baldoni's legal team filed a $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of "civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy." Lively's team has denied all allegations and maintains its stance.

Both parties are set to face each other in court on March 9, 2026.