Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's legal drama has taken another turn. ABC News has reported that the trial date for the lawsuit between the "It Ends with Us" co-stars has been pushed back by almost two months. The trial is now expected to kick off on May 18, 2026, despite its original date of March 9. Lively has sued Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios team for alleged sexual harassment and organizing a smear campaign lawsuit against her. Deadline has reported that, during a hearing earlier today in New York City, Judge Lewis Liman urged the two parties to come to a settlement. The drama between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively explored: Per Deadline, Judge Liman informed Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's attorneys that, “as important as this case is,” he had to postpone the trial because “criminal trials take precedent." Lively is seeking $500 million in restitution, citing damages to her public standing, brand businesses, and stress on her and husband Ryan Reynolds' family. Baldini previously shot back with a $400 million countersuit, alleging extortion and defamation, though the case was eventually tossed out. People Magazine has reported that the Jane the Virgin alum's lawyer told TMZ in June that he's looking to "be vindicated, and that's all that he cares about." "He knows who he is. He knows what he's done; he knows what he hasn't done. And he wants the truth to come out, and he wants to do that in the appropriate way," Freedman said at the time. "... He's waiting for his day in court, where he can speak out to tell the truth."Baldoni and his lawyers have long maintained his innocence, previously having dubbed Blake Lively's claims as “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious." Thet also accused her of suing him to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” about the film’s production. In June, Blake Lively also took to Instagram to claim that she felt "more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, their integrity, their dignity and their story." In a statement to The New York Times, Blake Lively said, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”As for Colleen Hoover, the author behind the book that served as the inspiration for the movie, she told Elle in an interview that came out in November of the drama: “It feels like a circus. When there are real people involved, with real feelings and emotions.” She said that the situation has “impacted some of the actors’ careers” in “huge” ways, adding, “I just find it all around sad.” “The book was inspired by [my mother’s] story, and now it gives us PTSD to think about it,” Hoover said. “I feel awful because I almost feel like she’s gone through more with the aftermath of this film, more pain than she went through with my dad, just seeing the ugliness of it.”She continued, “I can’t even recommend it anymore. I feel like [the lawsuit] has overshadowed it. I’m almost embarrassed to say I wrote it. When people ask what I do, I’m just like, ‘I’m a writer. Please don’t ask me what I wrote.’” Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more.