Author Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” rapidly captured the hearts of readers across the internet. The popularity did not come without controversy. The book follows the story of a young couple, Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid, who find themselves in an abusive marriage, after Bloom’s parents were in a similar relationship throughout her life. Hoover has stated that the book was “the hardest one to write” as it is loosely based on her parents. Book Tok is full of some of the internet’s most brutally honest critics, and some continue to argue that the book romanticizes abuse.
@colleenhoover Cast announcement for #ITENDSWITHUSMOVIE @justinbaldoni #blakelively
Despite the mixed public opinions on the book, the contentious content drove readership up so high that Hoover is adapting the novel into a film. Wayfarer Entertainment will distribute the film. Actor Justin Baldoni (notably of “Jane The Virgin”) founded the production company, and will produce the film and star as Ryle. Brandon Sklenar will portray Atlas Corrigan, Lily Bloom’s childhood friend.
The book appears to flash between different time periods for the three main characters, but the primary story takes place when everyone is in their early 20s. Lively, Baldoni, and Skelnar are all in their 30s. Fans of the book were surprised to see that the entire main cast was aged significantly compared to the source material. Both Lively and Baldoni have appeared in a number of successful television shows and films, and avid readers eventually came around to the casting, only for further questions to arise.
Costume Gate
“It Ends With Us” began principal photography in Hoboken, New Jersey recently. Over the past several weeks, behind-the-scenes photos have made the rounds across social media. The costumes were even more unexpected than the casting, and fans of the novel had a lot to say.
@talkingtotequila It end with us keeps looking more and more disappointing. #greenscreen #itendswithus #itendswithusmovie #itendswithuscast #blakelively #lilybloom #blakelively #colleenhoover #booktok #itendswithusbook #colleenhooverbooks #itendswithuscolleenhoover
Others feel that the wardrobe might actually make more sense than meets the eye. Lively’s character owns a steampunk flower shop in the 2010s in Boston, Massachusetts. Some feel that the social media-popularized “clean girl aesthetic” was projected onto the character, while Hoover’s intentions were to make her have a more alternative style.
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Others suspect that Hoover opted to change the time period of the film to better suit the ages of the actors. The time period has not been specified yet. Hoover has spoken to her inspiration from her mother’s 80s wardrobe in the past, and some are questioning if the story will now shift all the way back to the 80s.
@katielenlen Replying to @Emma #greenscreen #iewu #itendswithus #itendswithusmovie #itendswithusbook #itendswithuscast #booktok
The strong reactions to the glimpses into filming come after years of online fan-casting, in which book lovers cast their votes on who should play their favorite characters in the film adaptations. Some TikTok users feel that the reactions are only negative because readers projected their own fantasies onto the characters. Some popular options for casting included Theo James, Abigail Cowen, and Logan Lerman.
@bookedits4you we really could’ve had it all #itendswithus #casting #booktok #fyp
Hoover is yet to comment on the backlash surrounding the “It Ends With Us” film adaptation. Neither have Baldoni or Lively. The film does not have a confirmed release date at this time, but the controversy will likely not end with the outfits given the book’s highly attentive fans.
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