Colleen Hoover’s silence on Justin Baldoni lawsuit allegedly linked to morality clause in book deal

Conspiracy theory claims Colleen Hoover’s silence on Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively lawsuit is tied to a morality clause

A new conspiracy theory surrounding It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover suggests that her decision to stay silent on the ongoing legal dispute between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively is linked to a morality clause in her contract with Baldoni.

Lively and Baldoni, who starred in Baldoni’s directorial project It Ends With Us, which was released in August 2024, are at the center of this legal issue.  

After Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior on set, Colleen Hoover initially showed support for Lively on social media. However, she has since deactivated her account and refrained from commenting on the legal developments.  

According to the conspiracy theory, Hoover’s silence is due to her intention to reclaim the rights to her book from Baldoni. The theory, originating from a popular Reddit post, suggests that Hoover’s contract with Baldoni includes a morality clause.  

This clause allegedly gives Hoover the option to reclaim the rights to It Ends With Us and resell them if Baldoni faces serious accusations like sexual harassment. The theory further claims that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are interested in purchasing the rights from Baldoni and may potentially work on a sequel, based on Hoover’s follow-up book *It Starts With Us*.  

The viral video also references an interview in which Lively commented that she would "follow Hoover everywhere" if she had her "rights." Her remark came after being asked about the possibility of a sequel to *It Ends With Us*. This comment has led to the speculation that Blake Lively’s legal allegations against Justin Baldoni might allow Hoover to reclaim her book’s rights and sell them to Reynolds and Lively for a sequel.  

It’s important to note that conspiracy theories are speculative in nature and have no factual basis. The theory discussed here has not been confirmed or reported by credible sources, and remains purely speculative, created by fans and online users.  

On December 20, 2024, Blake Lively filed a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against Justin Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios. Her complaint included accusations of sexual harassment, inappropriate conduct in the workplace, and a coordinated effort to damage her reputation.