Will we ever know how it ends?

After three weeks in theaters, “ It Ends With Us ,” a big-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling book, has become a box office sensation, earning over $242 million worldwide. Ticket sales are projected to reach at least $285 million to $300 million. In a summer dominated by films targeting younger audiences, “It Ends With Us” is a unique cinematic experience resonating with female audiences.

It’s hugely profitable, too. “It Ends With Us” cost $25 million to produce and is expected to net at least $25 million to $30 million in profits for both Sony (which distributed the film) and director-star Justin Baldoni ‘s Wayfarer Studios (which co-financed it with TSG Entertainment). Another source familiar with the deal-making puts that figure at double. Those margins don’t include proceeds for cinemas or box office bonuses for star Blake Lively and Baldoni.

A follow-up to the novel, “It Starts With Us,” already exists, eliminating the need to stretch the source material for a sequel, similar to “Big Little Lies.” The existence of this follow-up story is a clear indicator that moviegoers haven't seen the last of Lily, Ryle and Atlas — the characters portrayed by Lively, Baldoni and Brandon Sklenar, respectively, in the film. Hollywood studios typically announce a sequel quickly following successful box office numbers. However, a public feud between Lively and Baldoni has cast a shadow over any sequel plans.

“This is uncharted territory, and no one has any idea what a sequel could look like,” says a source familiar with the situation. “It's unlikely that these two will work together again.”

As those heavily involved in online discussions are aware, the release of “It Ends With Us” was preceded by a wave of tabloid coverage about behind-the-scenes tensions. Rumors began circulating about animosity between Baldoni and the rest of the cast after he was not pictured with them at the August 6 New York premiere. Additionally, Baldoni did not present the film alongside Lively and Hoover. Internet detectives also noticed that none of his co-stars follow Baldoni on Instagram except Hasan Minhaj, who portrays the brother-in-law of Baldoni’s character. There have been speculations that Lively and Baldoni clashed over the final cut of the movie, with Lively’s favored version reportedly making it to the big screen.

Some screenwriters have expressed surprise that Lively revealed during a red carpet interview that her husband Ryan Reynolds contributed a significant scene to the final version of the film . Sources indicate that this was news to Baldoni, who believed the scene was improvised by Lively. The WGA did not respond to a request for comment about whether Reynolds’ contribution is a guild violation that could lead to a credit dispute. While films can have uncredited writers, it is uncommon for the director to be unaware of their work.

Reynolds’ involvement raises a separate WGA issue. Production on the film began on May 5, 2023 — just three days after the start of the WGA strike last summer. Reynolds, who received a screenwriter credit on “Deadpool 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” is a WGA member and would have been prohibited from contributing to the script between May 2 and September 27, 2023. Writers participated in demonstrations on the New Jersey set, and production was temporarily halted in late June 2023 before the SAG-AFTRA strike commenced on July 14. (A source close to Reynolds asserts that he declined to be involved in the film’s rooftop scene in April 2023.)

Neither Baldoni nor Lively have commented on the rumors publicly, but multiple sources confirm to Variety that the animosity between them is real and may be irreparable. However, none of these sources could identify any specific actions that caused the conflict.

Adding to the complexity, Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios owns the cinematic rights to both “It Ends With Us” and “It Starts With Us” after acquiring them from Hoover in 2019. The author told Variety that she rejected multiple offers before agreeing to collaborate with Baldoni on the film adaptation. “I felt like he understood the book and the importance of bringing it to the screen,” Hoover said.

So, Lively and Baldoni might need to follow the example of “Sex and the City 2” co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall and put aside their personal differences for the sake of business if they want to bring their complete vision for “It Starts With Us” to life. Baldoni has hinted that he won't direct the sequel, telling Entertainment Tonight at the movie's premiere, “I think there are better people for that. I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct.” The character Ryle plays a much smaller role in the second book's storyline, making it easier for Baldoni to step aside, at least as an actor. However, he and Lively would still need to come to an agreement considering his role as a producer.

Wayfarer and Baldoni own the rights to both novels, not just an option, as is often the case with successful literary properties. Therefore, he doesn't need to renew an agreement (which typically expire 18 months after signing a deal) and is the sole party who can decide its fate, according to sources familiar with the contract terms. The deal was finalized after the novel sold numerous copies but before Hoover became a household name on BookTok, the segment of TikTok dedicated to reading that helped propel the author to literary fame. “It Ends With Us” was published in 2016 but didn't become a phenomenon until years later; it took over TikTok in 2021 before becoming the top-selling print novel of 2022 and 2023.

Before the film's release, Baldoni told Variety regarding the sequel novel that he and Wayfarer haven't “even begun to consider that far ahead. I’m trying to remain focused on the present as much as possible.” However, industry sources suggest that it's unlikely the creative minds at Wayfarer, which has supported titles like “The Garfield Movie” and the upcoming Will Ferrell documentary “Will & Harper,” haven't thought about adapting the second installment in this hugely popular two-part book series.

Sony has an automatic option to distribute a potential sequel but cannot force a follow-up without Wayfarer's involvement. The second novel takes place just a few months after the events of the first, so producers would likely want to avoid a long gap to prevent the actors from aging out of their roles. Industry experts also suggest that ideally, no more than two to three years should pass between installments to maintain audience interest.

“It Ends With Us” has already become the highest-grossing film in the careers of Baldoni (surpassing his directorial debut “Five Feet Apart” with $92.5 million) and Lively (overtaking 2011’s “Green Lantern” with $237 million). However, instead of celebrating the box office success, they’re engaged in damage control. Lively has faced criticism for her upbeat promotion of a film that explores serious topics like domestic violence, while Baldoni has hired the crisis firm Tag PR. Despite the controversy, audiences haven't been deterred. “It Ends With Us” is on track to be one of the top 10 highest grossing films of the year to date.

“It’s a major summer attraction,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “Audiences are eagerly awaiting the next installment.”