Blake Lively’s new film gets first look amid Justin Baldoni legal drama

Director Paul Feig shut down ‘BS’ rumours of bad blood between Lively and co-star Anna Kendrick. A first look at Blake Lively’s new movie has been released amid the ongoing drama between the actor and Justin Baldoni. Lively will next star in Another Simple Favour, which is a sequel to 2018’s comedy crime-thriller A Simple Favour. Anna Kendrick will reprise her role opposite Lively with the actors returning as Stephanie Smothers and Emily Nelson, respectively.

Prime Video has now unveiled a first look at the forthcoming film, with the image showing Kendrick and Lively in character by a pool surrounded by candles. The two characters are seen toasting martini glasses, with Kendrick dressed in a fluffy white robe and Lively in a long-sleeved burgundy dress. The first look comes the day after Lively was noticeably absent from the Super Bowl LIX, having attended last year’s championship game and a number of other Kansas City Chiefs’ games with Swift and Ice Spice – both of whom were present.

Another Simple Favour will follow Stephanie and Emily as they reunite on the beautiful island of Capri in Italy for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. “Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square,” reads the film’s synopsis. Released in 2018, A Simple Favour was a twisty black-comedy mystery film based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell, which follows Stephanie as she tries to solve the disappearance of her mysterious, glamorous friend.

Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, Elena Sofia Ricci, and Allison Janney are set to star in the new instalment, with Henry Golding returning presumably in his role as Emily’s ex-husband. Last month, A Simple Favour director Paul Feig shut down online rumours that a feud between the movie’s stars, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, had indefinitely shelved the forthcoming sequel. Feig called the speculation “total BS”.

“Sorry. The movie is finished and coming out soon. Don’t believe anything you read on social media these days,” the Bridesmaids director warned. The first look at Another Simple Favour arrives amid the ongoing legal drama between Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni. Last December, Lively filed a bombshell complaint against Baldoni – who also directed the movie – alleging sexual harassment.

In the filing, her lawyers claimed that Baldoni’s PR team hired Wallace to assist in an alleged smear campaign against Lively. It was claimed he “weaponised a digital army around the country from New York to Los Angeles to create, seed and promote content that appeared to be authentic on social media platforms and internet chat forums”. In January 2025, Baldoni launched a $400 million countersuit against Lively and Reynolds, alleging that the couple had sought to destroy his reputation.

In a statement to The Independent regarding the lawsuit, Lively’s legal team said: “Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation. “This is not just a publicity stunt – it is transparent retaliation in response to allegations contained within a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint that Ms Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department. While this lawsuit will be dismissed, we are pleased that Mr. Wallace has finally emerged from the shadows, and that he too will be held accountable in federal court.”.

Last week, a New York judge threatened to move up Lively and Baldoni’s March 2026 trial date if their lawyers continued their war of words in the press. Judge Lewis Liman said both sides have “given the public plenty to feast upon”. For a timeline of the feud and lawsuit between Lively and Baldoni, click here. Lively was absent from Sunday’s Super Bowl (9 February) as her best friend Taylor Swift cheered on her Kansas City Chiefs boyfriend Travis Kelce.