As someone who has spent years observing the intricate dance between Hollywood and social media, I must say that the success of “It Ends With Us” serves as a masterclass in leveraging digital platforms for marketing films. The strategic use of TikTok and other social media platforms to reach the coveted under-35 female demographic was brilliantly executed. The tagline “Grab your friends and wear your florals,” while perhaps not Shakespearean in its complexity, certainly created a buzz that resonated with viewers.
Following multiple setbacks in production, “It Ends With Us” finally graced the silver screen on August 9, 2024, standing as one of the highest-grossing romantic dramas during the summer movie season. Originating from the critically acclaimed novel by Colleen Hoover, this film adaptation is helmed by Justin Baldoni, who both directs and takes on the leading role as Ryle Kincaid. Supporting him are Blake Lively as the main character Lily Bloom and Brandon Sklenar as Atlas Corrigan. The narrative primarily revolves around the love triangle between Lily, Ryle, and Atlas, delving into themes of love, jealousy, domestic abuse, family, and optimism.
When Ryle and Lily cross paths, they instantly click, and their bond deepens rapidly into a significant romance. However, an unforeseen encounter with her old flame, Atlas, stirs up a forgotten aspect of Lily’s history that unfolds through flashbacks. Simultaneously, in the current timeline, Lily finds herself grappling with a recurring pattern of abuse that has haunted the females in her family and is now jeopardizing her own life.
The gritty portrayal illuminates the harsh truth about domestic abuse, yet intertwines it with a narrative of unwavering affection and optimism. As Rebecca Hall described to BBC: “We presented an emotional tale, both amusing and poignant, even comical at times, but also heartbreaking, terrifying, sorrowful, and uplifting – just like real life.” This approach has given “It Ends with Us” a broad appeal that left everyone astounded when its initial box office figures were revealed.
What did It Ends With Us make at the box office?
Despite initially being delayed from its original release dates in February and June, the movie “It Ends with Us” has been a massive box office success. With a production budget of $25 million, it was anticipated that the film would earn around $25 to $35 million internationally during its opening weekend, but it exceeded all expectations by raking in $50 million domestically on its premiere, and later reaching $80 million when international earnings were included.
In a striking turn of events, the romantic drama decisively outperformed its rivals. Interestingly, the movie adaptation of “Borderlands” premiered on the same day but fell short of expectations, earning only $8.8 million in its opening weekend – significantly less than projected. On the other hand, “It Ends With Us” has been soaring high. It surpassed the $100 million mark in its initial week and had accumulated over $204 million by August 23.
We inquired from box office expert, Ryan Scott at /Film, whether adjusting the release dates impacted these figures, and he concurred that keeping it for June might have posed difficulties for “It Ends With Us.” He noted that it would have placed the movie directly in competition with “Inside Out 2,” whereas the August release date turned out to be much more advantageous.
Colleen Hoover has a devoted fanbase
If it weren’t for author Colleen Hoover, the box office success of “It Ends With Us” might not have been as significant. She based the novel on her personal experiences, particularly the relationship between Lily’s parents, Jenny Bloom (Amy Morton) and Andrew Bloom (Kevin McKidd), which closely resembled her own parents. Although this aspect is fictional, Lily’s portrayal of intimate partner violence aligns with a distressingly real experience for many women. Hoover attributes the book’s popularity on TikTok and its 133-week tenure on the New York Times bestseller list to its relatability for numerous readers.
The darker aspects of Hoover’s book resonated deeply with numerous readers, and many enthusiasts were captivated by the heartwarming connection between Lily and Atlas that she crafted. Fortunately for these fans, the movie adaptation of “It Ends With Us” stays remarkably true to the original novel, as Hoover played a significant role in its cinematic transformation. Consequently, readers showed their appreciation at the box office, contributing significantly to the impressive opening weekend numbers, as Ryan Scott acknowledges. “This strong fanbase for bestselling books can lead to extraordinary outcomes,” he adds. “When Hollywood respects the book’s fans, marvelous things can take place—exactly what occurred here.”
Justin Baldoni has a track record of meaningful movies
Justin Baldoni, recognized primarily for his role as the charming billionaire Rafael Solano in “Jane the Virgin,” is nothing like his character’s former playboy persona off-screen. After leaving the satirical telenovela behind, Baldoni has channeled all his energy into film production and direction, culminating in the movie “It Ends With Us.” This project is a collaborative effort between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios. Over a span of five years, Baldoni worked closely with Colleen Hoover to bring this film adaptation to life on the big screen.
Baldoni strongly believed that this was a tale worth sharing, as he often found himself confronted with the notion that their work in the industry is merely art or filmmaking, and not life-saving or cancer-curing. Yet, he mused, perhaps we’re not making the right films if that’s what it seems like… He felt this story had the potential to truly impact lives, even saving them. This was his sentiment as he spoke with The Hollywood Reporter.
The former star of “Heroes” is recognized for crafting films with impactful themes, demonstrated by his past directorial and production work on the biographical drama “Clouds” and romantic drama “Five Feet Apart”, which were based on real-life incidents. Remaining committed to using his movies as a platform for change, Baldoni has leveraged the “It Ends With Us” promotional tour to draw attention to domestic violence issues by collaborating with the non-profit organization No More.
Blake Lively draws a crowd
When discussing the reasons why a film did well at the box office, we cannot discount star power, and Blake Lively has it in spades. Her fans have stayed with her as she’s transformed from Serena Van Der Woodsen in “Gossip Girl” through all stages of her life, including motherhood, to becoming Lily Bloom now. Lively has said she was determined to do Lily’s character justice. “I just fell in love with Lily,” Lively explained in a press release (via GMA News Online). “I knew if I took her on, I would make sure she wasn’t a delicate flower, but a woman with both feet firmly on the ground.”
Although she has rightfully received applause for her acting, it was primarily her fame and previous reputation that drew audiences to the theater. As evidenced by her successful movies such as ‘A Simple Favor’ and ‘The Shallows,’ Lively contributes significantly to worthy productions, according to Ryan Scott. At this stage in her career, Lively deserves recognition for her name alone.
Over the years, Lively has successfully transformed her identity into a powerful personal brand that resonates with fiery movie performances, stylish fashion choices, expanding family life with Ryan Reynolds, and shrewd business decisions. These efforts have significantly paid off for Lively, as “It Ends With Us” is already among her most successful films financially, likely surpassing the $220 million earned by her highest-grossing film, “Green Lantern,” before you even finish this article.
Ryan Reynolds lent the movie his writing skills
The screenplay for “It Ends with Us” was primarily written by Christy Hall, who’s known for her work on “I Am Not Okay With This”. However, Ryan Reynolds, husband to Blake Lively, also contributed his writing talents to this project. Intriguingly, as shared by Lively on E!, Reynolds played a significant role in crafting one of the key scenes from the book.
“My husband, it turns out, penned the famous rooftop sequence,” Lively clarified. “We collaborate on everything. He’s involved in everything I work on, and vice versa. The same goes for me and what he does.” This revelation took Hall by surprise, as she learned about the script revisions during the premiere. However, she acknowledged that Reynolds’ input significantly enhanced the crucial scene where Ryle and Lily meet and fall for each other.
Hall also commended another instance within a more intense scene between Lily and Atlas, where Lily grapples with accepting that she’s carrying Ryle’s child. Hall believes that an unexpected script modification, which he thinks injected some necessary humor into the scene, might have been Reynolds’ doing. Reynolds, who is known for his knack of infusing humor in many of his works like the second and third “Deadpool” films, is suspected to be behind this change. The rooftop sequence, with its dialogue about maraschino cherries, served as a delightful, humorous respite amidst an otherwise emotionally heavy scene.
Blake Lively played a bigger role behind the scenes
It’s undeniable that Lily Bloom is the main character in “It Ends With Us,” since the story unfolds from her point of view and the film’s resolution hinges on her realization about Ryle’s abuse. Furthermore, Blake Lively has emphasized that this role was instrumental to her career, as she found it rewarding to delve into the character. However, it’s important to note that Lively’s contributions to the movie extend beyond her on-screen performance. In fact, she considers her work behind the scenes as being equally significant to the film’s success compared to her acting in front of the camera.
“She emphasized that working off-camera was crucial for her, as producing consumed her more than acting as Lily ever did. She handled everything related to this film, without leaving anything untouched, she shared with Variety. Fans of Lively will notice her vibrant personality reflected in the movie, especially when it comes to her significant role behind the scenes – styling Lily.”
In a reunion with costume designer Eric Daman, renowned for his work on “Gossip Girl”, Lively collaborated to establish a unique style for the character Lily. This style was designed to embody both her feminine qualities, given her role as a florist, and her masculine traits, such as her strength and independence. According to Daman, their collaboration resulted in something quite extraordinary and authentic.
The storyline has resonated with viewers
Blake Lively characterizes “It Ends With Us” as a movie that elicits strong emotional responses from viewers. Although it features some playful and amusing scenes, its core theme revolves around intimate partner violence and how this issue can perpetuate across generations. The protagonist, Lily, promises never to experience the same fate as her mother, Jenny, who suffered abuse at the hands of her husband. However, despite her efforts, Lily unintentionally finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship. Similar to her mother, she grapples with acknowledging her situation and mustering the courage to escape, receiving aid from Atlas and Allysa, portrayed by Jenny Slate.
The storyline of this film appears to have struck a deep chord with audiences, as it maintains an impressive 92% approval rating among fans on Rotten Tomatoes. Director Justin Baldoni encourages viewers to ponder the film’s messages, regardless of their personal connection to them. For some, the movie’s narrative has even been transformative. One fan shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, stating, “I’m not sure if you will ever see this, but I’m leaving behind 10 years of unimaginable suffering after watching ‘It Ends With Us.’ Thank you. It ends for me too.”
Besides several other actors, many have expressed that this tale held significant personal relevance for them. Brandon Sklenar added that his character’s part in the movie even provided assistance to a close friend facing a comparable predicament.
The soundtrack is perfectly balanced
Music can have a lot of power and when done right, a soundtrack has the ability to evoke strong emotions in viewers. The soundtrack for “It Ends With Us” does this well: The movie starts and finishes strong as it opens with Ethel Cain’s “Strangers” and closes to Cain’s “Everytime,” while also notably featuring “My Tears Ricochet” by Taylor Swift.
The soundtrack also supports a moment of levity in the aforementioned scene between Lily and Atlas, where she struggles to come to terms with her pregnancy. The pair talk about the songs they’d want at their funeral. Atlas says “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed, which then plays in the background.
In the creation of the soundtrack for “It Ends With Us,” Blake Lively played a significant role, advocating for Lana Del Rey’s “Cherry” to be featured as it signified a pivotal moment in Lily’s relationship with Ryle. Although no actual abuse had been shown at that point, the song served as a powerful warning of what was to follow. There were disagreements from certain, unnamed producers who argued that the song was too intense and somber for that particular scene, but Lively believed it was fitting due to its emotional weight and the tension it conveyed, reflecting the conflict, pain, and turmoil in the story as Atlas enters.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds recreated Barbenheimer
The movie “It Ends With Us” was quickly followed by the release of “Deadpool and Wolverine,” on July 26. Instead of competing against each other or targeting distinct fanbases, Hollywood power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds smartly marketed both films to their shared audience by cross-promoting them. While not as iconic as the original “Barbenheimer” moment, they capitalized on their social media influence by promoting both films on Instagram to their combined following of nearly 100 million.
Ryan Scott acknowledged that Reynolds’ participation played a role in the film “It Ends With Us” achieving box office success. He went on to say, “Ryan Reynolds is not just a top-tier movie star, but also a brilliant marketing mind. Having him on board to promote a movie can only boost its visibility and appeal, which seems to have been the case with ‘It Ends With Us.'”
“The release of ‘It Ends With Us’ benefited from the popularity of ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’, as Hugh Jackman joined Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at the movie premiere. Their support helped generate excitement for this romantic drama. Although ‘It Ends With Us’ hasn’t matched the financial success of Deadpool, it has managed to stand on its own feet. In fact, Blake Lively’s film earned more than her spouse’s on its opening day.”
The movie benefited from the power of social media marketing
In their combined efforts, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds played just one piece in the promotional plan for the movie “It Ends With Us.” Alongside this, clips from the cast were shared on social media networks like TikTok to further promote the film. Despite facing some criticism, Blake Lively’s catchphrase for the production – “Get together with your friends and don your florals” – undeniably sparked interest in the movie.
The platform has been particularly effective in attracting a female audience under 35, who accounted for 68% of the viewers. This group significantly boosted sales during the initial release weekend, and according to Sony (as reported by Variety), “almost half of the opening weekend attendees were casual moviegoers” whose curiosity was sparked by social promotional campaigns.
The high number of women who don’t typically attend movies frequently watching “It Ends With Us” demonstrates Sony’s knack for capitalizing on young women’s interest in romantic dramas on the big screen yet again. The upcoming release of Sony’s “Anyone But You” in December 2023 has also garnered impressive box office returns. Despite the stark contrast between the themes of “It Ends With Us” and the rom-com starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, both films have managed to address an unmet need in the market. The success of these movies underscores a strong demand for such productions that are often bypassed for streaming services; it’s all about marketing them effectively.
There’s no such thing as bad press
The drama surrounding “It Ends With Us” has been pretty hard to miss. Ahead of the film’s release, it became apparent that Justin Baldoni was doing press interviews for the movie separate from the rest of the cast, sparking rumors of a rift between them. Lively also faced criticism for not speaking as openly about domestic violence during her interviews as Baldoni did in his. Rumors then swirled that Baldoni made Lively uncomfortable during a kiss on set, and they allegedly clashed over production issues behind the scenes. But all this drama has given “It Ends With Us” a continuous stream of media attention, so in this case, is there no such thing as bad press?
There’s something to be said for celebrity drama and people’s fascination with it. Just look at 2022’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” which was overshadowed by real-life scandal, although in that case the controversy did not lead to box office success. “In this situation, I think it’s fair to say that the alleged behind-the-scenes drama put the movie on people’s radar who might not have been in the bag for this one at first,” explained Ryan Scott about “It Ends with Us.” “Coupled with the positive word-of-mouth indicators, including the great CinemaScore, and Rotten Tomatoes audience score, this drama certainly ensured a lot more ink was spilled on this film’s behalf.”
If you or someone close to you is experiencing domestic abuse, reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by dialing 1-800-799-7233. For additional information, resources, and assistance, visit their website.
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2024-08-23 23:30