Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s 2 Movies That Made Box Office History Have Aged Wildly Differently

In the summer of 2024, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively had the best two weeks any Hollywood couple has had in decades. Reynolds’ Deadpool & Wolverine arrived on July 26 and became a phenomenon, finishing with $1.338 billion worldwide. It took the crown as the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever made.

Two weeks later, Lively’s It Ends With Us opened to a huge $50 million and went on to earn $351 million against a $25 million budget, becoming a genuine sleeper hit. Then their paths split completely. The third Deadpool movie is still remembered as a good time, sitting at 77% with critics and a 94% audience score (as of August 9, 2026).

Meanwhile, It Ends With Us got swallowed by the legal battle between Lively and her director and co-star Justin Baldoni. Two years later, one movie is still a fun rewatch, while the other became a case file.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Recreated a 34-Year-Old Box Office Feat

On the weekend of August 9–11, 2024, the top two spots at the North American box office belonged to one married couple. Deadpool & Wolverine held No. 1 with $54.2 million in its third weekend, crossing $1 billion worldwide that Saturday. It Ends With Us opened right behind it at No. 2 with $50 million.

It was the first time in 34 years that a husband and wife had gone one-two. The last pair to do it were Bruce Willis and Demi Moore in July 1990. Die Hard 2 held the top spot, and Moore’s Ghost debuted in second (via LA Times). Interestingly, the wife’s movie won that round in the long run, as Ghost finished as 1990’s highest-grossing film.

What made 2024’s version even more unusual is that both stars were working behind the camera too. Reynolds produced Deadpool & Wolverine and is its credited writer, while Lively produced It Ends With Us. However, Reynolds also became involved in the controversy when he reportedly wrote a scene in his wife’s movie.

Blake Lively’s Career After It Ends With Us: Filmography Explained

Blake Lively in Another Simple Favor | Credits: Prime Video

Blake Lively’s career post It Ends With Us was not great, likely due to the ugly court battle. Her next release was Another Simple Favor, though it is worth noting the Paul Feig sequel was shot in Italy before It Ends With Us ever hit theaters.

It premiered at SXSW in March 2025 and landed on Prime Video on May 1, 2025. The RT scores were diabolical at a 59% critics score and a 35% audience score. It still topped Prime Video’s chart in its opening days.

Her first newly booked role came in August 2025, when Lionsgate announced The Survival List, an action rom-com she stars in and produces alongside Wicked producer Marc Platt (via Deadline). Written by Tom Melia, it casts Lively as a reality TV producer stranded on an island with a survival expert who turns out to be a fraud. As of now, no director, co-star, or release date has been confirmed.

Lively settled with Wayfarer Studios in May 2026, weeks before trial. The follow-up for her 2024 movie is off the table. Colleen Hoover, who was also dragged into the controversy, has no intention of turning It Starts With Us into a movie.

Which of the two did you like better in the theaters? Let us know in the comments below!

Deadpool & Wolverine is now available for streaming on Disney+. It Ends With Us is now available for streaming on Hulu and Fubo.