Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra has praised Blake Lively for "advancing the conversation around domestic violence" with her new movie 'It Ends With Us'.
Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra has praised Blake Lively for 'advancing the conversation around domestic violence' through her new movie It Ends With Us
The film – which is based on Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel of the same name – stars the 36-year-old actress as a young woman who falls madly in love with a seemingly-innocent man (Justin Baldoni) before finding out he is an abuser, and the studio's boss has now hailed Lively for shining a light on domestic violence.
Vinciquerra told The Hollywood Reporter: "Blake, Colleen and so many women put so much effort into this remarkable movie, working selflessly from the start to ensure that such an important subject matter was handled with care. Audiences love the movie.
"Blake’s passion and commitment to advancing the conversation around domestic violence is commendable.
"We love working with Blake, and we want to do 12 more movies with her."
While the flick is winning over audiences and impressing at the box office – with its opening weekend bringing in $50 million – 'It Ends With Us' has hit a rocky patch after the relationship between the cast and Baldoni reportedly splintered.
The 40-year-old actor – who also directed the film – was said to have fallen out with Lively and Hoover in the post-production stage of the movie when two versions of the picture emerged once his co-star commissioned an alternative cut of the flick from 'Deadpool and Wolverine' editor Shane Reid.
An industry insider told PEOPLE: "All is not what it seems.
"There is much more to this story. The principal cast and Colleen Hoover will have nothing to do with him."
Rumours about the fractured relationship between the director and cast intensified after Baldoni reportedly hired crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan from The Agency Group, and didn’t take any photos with Lively at the movie's premiere.
Still, the actor and filmmaker also said he thought Lively would be a good fit to direct a potential sequel to 'It Ends With Us'.
When Entertainment Weekly asked Baldoni if he could return to direct a follow-up film, he replied: "I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct. That’s what I think."
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