It Ends With Us: Blake Lively’s Record-Breaker Finds a Second Life on Netflix
When It Ends with Us first landed on the big screen in August 2024, it wasn’t just another romantic drama—it was a full-blown cultural event. Based on Colleen Hoover’s juggernaut of a novel, the film had already stirred up a maelstrom of anticipation, debate, and emotion before a single frame was projected. Fast forward to 2026, and the movie has done more than just weather the storm; it’s planted its flag as the biggest box-office triumph of Blake Lively’s career, and now it’s riding a fresh wave of popularity on Netflix. The streaming debut, which hit the platform back on December 9, 2024, gave the divisive love story a second wind, and to this day it remains one of the most talked-about titles in the Netflix library—proving that you really can't keep a good blockbuster down.
The plot follows Lily Bloom, a young woman who packs up her life and moves to Boston right after her father’s funeral, hell-bent on achieving her dream of opening her own flower shop. She’s got grit, heart, and a past she’s trying to leave behind. Enter Ryle Kincaid, a neurosurgeon played by director Justin Baldoni, who sweeps Lily off her feet with an intensity that’s equal parts magnetic and unsettling. Just when Lily thinks she’s found her happily-ever-after, a ghost from her childhood—Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar)—resurfaces, and the cracks in Ryle’s perfect veneer start to show. What unravels is a gut-wrenching exploration of love, trauma, and the razor-thin line between passion and possession.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: It Ends with Us is a film that doesn’t pull punches when it comes to domestic abuse. The story’s handling of the subject became the lightning rod for the entire conversation around the movie. Some viewers praised the raw, no-holds-barred portrayal, while others felt it fumbled the nuance, sparking heated debates across social media platforms and watercooler chats alike. For anyone considering a watch on Netflix in 2026, it’s still worth doing a bit of homework first—this isn’t a light-and-fluffy rom-com, and the intensity can catch you off guard if you go in blind. As the old saying goes, “forewarned is forearmed.” 🛡️
Even with all the controversy, the box office numbers tell an undeniable success story. The film grossed a staggering $350 million worldwide against a shoestring budget of just $25 million. To put that into perspective, that’s more than $100 million over Lively’s previous top earner, 2011’s Green Lantern—a film that cratered financially despite its $200 million budget. It Ends with Us didn’t just hit it out of the park; it knocked the cover off the ball. Blake Lively’s career has been peppered with notable hits over the years, and the 2024 romantic drama now towers over them all. Here’s a snapshot of her highest-grossing films, according to box office trackers (updated through 2026):
| Rank | Movie Title | Worldwide Gross (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | It Ends with Us (2024) | $350 million |
| 2 | Green Lantern (2011) | $220 million |
| 3 | The Shallows (2016) | $119 million |
| 4 | A Simple Favor (2018) | $97 million |
| 5 | The Age of Adaline (2015) | $65 million |
| 6 | The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) | $42 million |
| 7 | Accepted (2006) | $38 million |
| 8 | Savages (2012) | $33 million |
| 9 | The Town (2010) | $28 million (cameo) |
| 10 | Elvis & Anabelle (2007) | $0.2 million |
That’s It Ends with Us sitting pretty at the top like the king of the hill, and the gap between first and second place is nothing short of jaw-dropping. The movie became Sony Pictures’ cash cow overnight, and it’s safe to say Lively has cemented her spot as a box office draw.
But hold your horses—the actress wasn’t just busy breaking records with tear-jerking drama. In another corner of the 2024 box office, she made a sneaky cameo in Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine as Lady Deadpool. It was a tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it voice role, but it added another feather to her cap and proved she could juggle mainstream spectacle and intimate storytelling with equal finesse. Talk about range! 🎭
The runaway success of It Ends with Us didn’t just pad Sony’s pocket—it kicked open the door for a whole lot of speculation about what’s next. As the dust settled in 2025 and 2026, the rumor mill kept churning about a possible sequel, with whispers of adapting Colleen Hoover’s follow-up novel, It Starts with Us, getting louder by the day. Fans have been practically drawing up their own dream casting on social media, and while no official green light has been given as of early 2026, the chatter has never really died down. Beyond that, the film’s firestorm success has made Hollywood bigwigs look at Hoover’s other bestsellers—Verity, Ugly Love, November 9—like a treasure chest just waiting to be cracked open. The cinematic universe of Colleen Hoover may be on the horizon, and It Ends with Us is the trailblazer that made it all possible.
In the ever-shifting landscape of streaming, It Ends with Us has turned into the gift that keeps on giving. Every new crop of subscribers discovers it, and the discussion threads light up all over again. Whether you’re team Ryle, team Atlas, or just team “I need a box of tissues,” one thing is crystal clear: this movie has left a mark that won’t fade anytime soon. So if you haven’t yet hit play on Netflix, consider this your sign. Just remember to buckle up—it’s a ride that goes straight for the heart, and it doesn’t ask permission. 💔🍿