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Marvel Entertainment has officially been released from the ongoing legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, following a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman on June 9, 2025. The court granted Marvel’s request to quash a subpoena that sought internal documents related to the character “Nicepool” from Deadpool & Wolverine, a film written by and starring Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds. Baldoni’s legal team had attempted to tie the character’s creation to a larger campaign they claimed was aimed at ridiculing and harassing him amidst his escalating legal conflict with Lively.
Baldoni’s attorneys had argued that “Nicepool” was a thinly veiled jab intended to intimidate or mock him publicly, particularly due to its alleged similarities to his image and persona. In their efforts to gather evidence, Baldoni’s side issued a litigation hold letter to top Marvel and Disney executives, including Kevin Feige and Bob Iger, demanding preservation of all materials referencing him. However, Judge Liman found the effort to be unnecessary, ruling that the documents Marvel was being asked to produce were no longer relevant following the dismissal of Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit the same day. Marvel, which had initially filed a motion to protect its confidential material back in April, is now no longer involved in the case.
The broader legal battle between Lively and Baldoni continues. Lively has accused Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios of sexual harassment and professional retaliation, seeking punitive and treble damages. Baldoni’s dismissed countersuit had alleged defamation, civil extortion, and reputational sabotage not just from Lively, but also from Reynolds and several high-profile PR figures, including Leslie Sloane and Vision PR. Judge Liman left open the possibility for Baldoni to revise and refile portions of the countersuit by June 23, if he intends to pursue any of his claims further.
With a trial date now set for March 2026 in Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al., the next several months may prove critical in determining whether this case resolves through the courts or through a private settlement. For now, Marvel has successfully distanced itself from the controversy, while the core legal battle continues to unfold between two major Hollywood figures.