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Justin Baldoni will skip the premiere of Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film is financed by Baldoni’s Wayfarer Productions, but his absence comes amid his ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Despite Baldoni stepping back, the studio will still support the film and have a presence at Cannes to back the cast and filmmakers. Concerns have been raised that Johansson, who was previously married to Reynolds, might be overshadowed by the legal drama.
Meanwhile, Blake Lively has been promoting her movie Another Simple Favor, which is reportedly competing with Eleanor the Great at the festival. Baldoni’s decision not to attend the premiere surprised many, especially given his role as executive producer.
The legal conflict started after Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of invasion of privacy, inappropriate behavior at work, and an online smear campaign. Baldoni responded with a $400 million countersuit for extortion and defamation.
Attorney Lisa Bloom told the Daily Mail that the film’s success or failure could impact the ongoing court case. If the movie flops, Baldoni might blame Lively, but if it does well, it could weaken his claims about damage to his career. Bloom also suggested that Johansson and other key figures involved in the film could be subpoenaed to testify in the trial.