The Real Reason Deadpool Director Called Justin Baldoni After a Heated Clash With Ryan Reynolds

Here is the short version up top: Justin Baldoni says Shawn Levy called him while Baldoni was directing It Ends With Us, and the timing and content of that call are raising eyebrows because of who is friends with who and who was reportedly rewriting what. The rest is a mix of sworn statements, industry scuttlebutt, and one very on-the-record example of Blake Lively weighing in on Deadpool & Wolverine in a way that actually made the final cut.

So, did Shawn Levy call Justin Baldoni about It Ends With Us?

According to court transcripts, yes. Baldoni testified that he recorded part of a phone call from Levy in April 2023, right as Baldoni was making It Ends With Us and Levy was in the middle of Deadpool 3 (which became Deadpool & Wolverine). Levy is tight with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, and Baldoni says the conversation felt less like a friendly check-in and more like an attempt to nudge his movie in a different direction.

Baldoni’s read on the call: he felt uncomfortable, he felt like Levy had been prompted to reach out, and he says Levy started offering advice on how to handle the film and, specifically, how to navigate making a movie with Lively.

'He was calling to give me advice, it appeared, on how to handle or navigate making a movie with Mrs. Lively.'

This reportedly came on the heels of a heated dispute between Baldoni and Reynolds over the film’s direction and certain scenes. Prior reporting has claimed Reynolds rewrote parts of the movie, including the rooftop sequence fans know as a key moment.

The rumor mill about Levy’s involvement

In May 2025, journalist Kjersti Flaa posted a YouTube video saying she got a tip from an industry source that Levy was involved with It Ends With Us beyond that call. Her claim (not independently verified): Levy tends to give Reynolds wide creative latitude on their collaborations (Free Guy, The Adam Project, Deadpool & Wolverine), and in this case, she alleges Levy even helped Lively edit Baldoni’s cut.

Flaa also pointed to a People story from August 2024 noting Lively’s end-credits thank-yous included a list of names, and she says Levy’s name appeared there. She questioned why Levy would be thanked and floated that as a potential Directors Guild of America issue if it reflected uncredited creative control. She further suggested Baldoni might not have known about any such involvement. To be clear: those are Flaa’s assertions; nothing official has confirmed that Levy edited Baldoni’s movie or that the DGA took any action.

What’s actually on the record about Levy and Lively collaborating

This part is clean and confirmed. In his Deadpool & Wolverine director’s commentary (via GamesRadar), Levy said Lively gave a note that changed the movie’s ending. They did a day and a half of reshoots based on her feedback about how the big power-room explosion should play emotionally.

'Credit where credit is due. It used to be that there was no suspense, that the power room blew up, and our heroes had survived. It was Blake Lively who said to us, "You know, I’ve been with you this whole movie. I want to sit in the fear that they’re lost. Let me be in that place of suspense so the triumph of their survival is more emotional and visceral."'

Levy says that note unlocked a better approach and that the reshoot paid off. Lively has also said publicly (via E! News) that she and Reynolds routinely weigh in on each other’s work: 'We help each other. He works on everything I do. I work on everything he does.'

How the timeline lines up

• April 2023: Baldoni says Levy called him during production on It Ends With Us; Levy was working on Deadpool 3. Baldoni says he recorded part of the call and felt it was meant to steer his film, including advice on working with Lively.
• Before that: Reports claimed Reynolds clashed with Baldoni over creative direction and rewrote some scenes, notably the rooftop sequence.
• August 2024: People reports Lively’s end-credits thank-yous included a list of names; Flaa later claims Levy’s name was among them.
• May 2025: Journalist Kjersti Flaa posts claims that Levy helped Lively edit Baldoni’s cut and suggests potential DGA concerns; none of this has been officially verified.
• Deadpool & Wolverine release cycle: Levy credits Lively with a note that led to reshoots, adjusting the ending for more suspense.

The read

There are two buckets here. Bucket one: sworn testimony that Levy called Baldoni with advice during It Ends With Us and that Baldoni felt pressured by it. Bucket two: outside claims that Levy was hands-on with Baldoni’s movie and that there could be DGA issues if true. The second bucket is still unproven. What is proven: Lively gives notes on Reynolds/Levy projects and, at least in the case of Deadpool & Wolverine, those notes made it into the final film.

Whether Levy’s phone call was just friendly advice or something more pointed is the part everyone is still arguing about.