'It Ends With Us' director Justin Baldoni addresses concerns over age changes and Taylor Swift song

Justin Baldoni addresses fan reactions to the trailer, and credits Blake Lively for securing Taylor Swift's song.

Director Justin Baldoni responds to the reaction to the "It Ends With Us" trailer, addressing concerns about character age changes and the inclusion of a Taylor Swift song.

The film, based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, stars Blake Lively as Lily Bloom, a young woman navigating a complex relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), while grappling with the trauma of her past.

In an interview at The Garfield Movie premiere, Baldoni acknowledged the anticipation and apprehension surrounding the adaptation. He assured fans that the film honours the book and its important social themes, stating, "We really honoured the book, I believe."

One of the most discussed changes is the characters' ages. In the novel, Lily is 23 at the beginning, but the film portrays her as older. Baldoni explained that this decision was made to make the story more universal and relatable to a wider audience.

"Originally Colleen had written this over 10 years ago, and it was a time when everyone was writing YA and she wanted the characters to be older," Baldoni revealed. "For us, it was just more about making the story more universal, because this isn’t just a story about a young woman, it’s a story about women, and it does not discriminate."

The trailer also sparked excitement with the use of Taylor Swift's "My Tears Ricochet." Baldoni playfully credited Lively, Swift's close friend, for securing the song, saying, "I take no credit for that, I’m sure that was all Blake."

The Sony film, hitting theatres on August 9th, has generated significant buzz since the trailer's release. As anticipation builds, Baldoni's comments offer insight into the creative decisions behind the adaptation and aim to reassure fans that the essence of Hoover's beloved story remains intact.