Is This The Real Villain Behind The "It Ends With Us" Drama?

What started as a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s wildly popular novel, It Ends With Us, has spiraled into complete chaos. This month, we’ve seen lawsuits, allegations, on-set footage, and now – brace yourselves – a theory that Ryan Reynolds might be the true villain in this drama. Forget the book’s abusive boyfriend, Ryle; the real antagonist could be the beloved Deadpool himself. Let’s break it all down.

Candace Owens’ Bombshell Theory

According to Candace Owens, who has been keeping up with the drama and reading the legal documents, Ryan Reynolds might be the puppet master pulling all the strings. On her Instagram Stories, Owens shared a tip from someone who “allegedly worked on the set.”

The source claimed the drama began when Reynolds reviewed the dailies [raw, unedited footage from each day] and scripts, which allegedly led to a heated argument with Lively in her trailer. Unfortunately, Owens couldn't verify what they argued over, just that "Reynolds decided to take a look at the script, and between the two, something allegedly set him off." From that point on, Reynolds reportedly became deeply involved in the production, writing lines and altering scenes. Owens also suggested Reynolds’ involvement was less about creative passion and more about undermining Baldoni.

She cited allegations that Reynolds inserted digs at Baldoni into his Deadpool and Wolverine script, mocking Baldoni’s feminism and his podcast (see more on that here). She added that Baldoni was “objectively” more handsome than Reynolds, probably leaving him even more insecure. I mean, if my wife were acting alongside a super sweet and handsome man like Baldoni, I wouldn’t be too happy about it either. 

Lively also has a history of dating the men she worked with on films. I like to call this phenomenon the “theater curse” – when a girl falls in love with the leading man while acting alongside them. I’ve witnessed many girls date men they met through theater whom they normally wouldn’t. It’s easy to develop feelings for someone you’re working close to, and it’s even easier when you have to pretend to fall in love with them. Again, it's possible that Lively wasn’t attracted to Baldoni at all, and it was Reynolds who started this whole thing.

I want to point out that lots of people believe he cheated on Scarlett Johansson when he worked alongside Lively on Green Lantern. And if it were the other way around (Scar Jo possibly cheating on Reynolds), then yeah, that would give him a reason to feel anxious about his wife acting with a hunk, too.

Anyway, the accusations get even juicier. Owens claimed Reynolds gave WME, the powerhouse talent agency, an ultimatum: “It’s us [Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift] or him [Baldoni].” Compared to Baldoni, Swift and Reynolds are megastars. Baldoni is just getting his name out there. Shortly after, Baldoni was dropped by WME, which Owens linked to Reynolds’ alleged influence. She also pointed out Reynolds’ history of “character abuse” – using his roles to humiliate people he’s clashed with, like Deadpool director Tim Miller.

According to sources, Miller left the Deadpool movies due to Reynolds allegedly wanting to control the franchise. 

Is Reynolds Really the Villain?

Owens’ theory paints the Deadpool star as a jealous, controlling husband who derailed a film to assert his dominance. She even tied Reynolds’ behavior to his alleged insecurities, pointing out his pattern of dating co-stars and his rumored jealousy in past relationships. According to Owens, “Ryan maybe sensed real chemistry [between Lively and Baldoni] on camera … and he tried to peacock Justin Baldoni by injecting himself into every layer of the movie.”

Owens concluded with a cutting observation: “Ladies, please know that your man showing up at work with his A-list homies, trying to buy the company you work for, while starting fights with your boss, is not the definition of love.”

A Quick Recap of the Feud That Started It All

Some context: The drama began in August 2024 when fans noticed something was off during the press tour. Blake Lively, who plays Lily Bloom, was in red carpet photos alongside her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Deadpool co-star Hugh Jackman. But where was Justin Baldoni, who both directed the film and starred as Ryle Kincaid? He was rarely photographed with Lively. Naturally, Baldoni’s absence fueled rumors of a feud between the co-stars.

Jenny Slate, who plays Allysa, didn’t help matters when she described Baldoni’s dual roles as “intense” in a Deadline interview. It came across as a polite dodge. Then, Baldoni made TikTok celeb gossip accounts go crazy when he was asked about directing a potential sequel. His response to that was, “I think there are better people for that one.”

By the time the movie hit theaters in August 2024, TikTok had exploded with theories. Users speculated that Reynolds and Lively had taken over the film’s creative direction, sidelining Baldoni in the process. Reynolds and Lively allegedly rewrote scenes, with Reynolds even penning the rooftop scene.

Others noted how the PR strategy for the film felt off: “Why are we using a movie about DV to promote your hair brand?” one TikToker had asked, referring to Lively’s Blake Brown line. She suggested Baldoni had distanced himself because the film had veered away from its intended tone.

It Never Ends

The drama reached new heights in December 2024 when Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of crossing boundaries during intimate scenes.

Baldoni fired back with a lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging they worked with Lively to smear him. By January 2025, the lawsuits were flying faster than a Marvel fight sequence, with Baldoni suing Lively, Reynolds, and others for defamation and contractual violations.

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