Justin Baldoni is reacting to Marvel’s recent request to be removed from the ongoing legal battle between him and Blake Lively.
Baldoni’s lawyers submitted a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman on Monday, April 28, opposing Marvel’s “motion to quash the Wayfarer Parties’ Subpoena and for a protective order.” In the letter obtained by Us Weekly, Baldoni’s legal team alleged that Marvel “did not meet and confer with us ‘in a good faith effort to resolve this dispute’” — referencing a claim from the company’s letter.
“On April 2, 2025, Marvel sent the Wayfarer Parties a letter containing its objections to the Subpoena, which are the same objections set forth in its recent letter-motion,” Baldoni’s lawyers alleged. “On April 7, 2025, my office met and conferred with Marvel’s counsel via telephone about the objections, and although we attempted in good faith to address Marvel’s purported concerns about confidentiality and relevancy, Marvel’s counsel interrupted us, refusing to engage in that discussion.”
The letter continued, “Instead, Marvel’s counsel interjected and stated he merely wanted to know what documents the Wayfarer Parties ‘really’ needed, regardless of the Subpoena’s demand for all documents concerning: (a) the creation, development, modification or portrayal of Ryan Reynolds’ ‘Nicepool’ character from Deadpool & Wolverine; and (b) Justin Baldoni.”
On Friday, April 25, Marvel requested that the court “quash the subpoena issued to Marvel” from Baldoni’s Wayfarer Parties “and issue a protective order prohibiting the disclosure of Marvel’s confidential documents by any party or other nonparty in this action.”
“Alternatively, Marvel requests that the Court stay the return date of the Subpoena and related document requests until after the Court decides the pending motion to dismiss of Counterclaim Defendant Ryan Reynolds,” the request read.
Marvel (which is owned by Disney) was referenced in the ongoing legal battle when the It Ends With Us director’s attorney alleged that Reynolds, 48, may have mocked Baldoni in Deadpool & Wolverine. The lawyer pointed to Reynolds’ character “Nicepool,” who is a version of Deadpool in the July film with a man-bun, no scars and some quasi-feminist jokes.
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In January, Baldoni’s lawyers sent a litigation hold letter to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, asking to “preserve evidence” relevant to Baldoni in court. Per the letter, obtained by Us, this includes any and all documents and communications involving Reynolds’ conduct in connection with any film in the Deadpool franchise and any and all documents “relating to or reflecting a deliberate attempt to mock, harass, ridicule, intimate or bully Baldoni through the character of ‘Nicepool.’”
Us reached out to Baldoni’s team, Marvel, Disney and an attorney for Lively and Reynolds for comment at the time.
The legal battle began in December 2024 when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him, in part, of sexual harassment. He denied all allegations at the time and sued Lively, Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane for $400 million. Lively, Reynolds and Sloane have all filed motions to be removed from the lawsuit. A trial is set to begin in 2026.
