Why It Ends With Us Book Fans Aren't Happy About The Film's Casting

Summary Fans upset over Blake Lively's casting as Lily in "It Ends with Us" due to age disparity compared to the book character.

Colleen Hoover admitted to making a mistake with Lily's age in the novel, prompting the decision to age up the characters for the film.

Release of the trailer has somewhat alleviated casting controversy, with some fans acknowledging the new take on the characters.

Despite the high-profile adaptation of the popular book coming to the big screen, It Ends with Us faces casting controversy around the age of one of the main characters. The upcoming movie is based on Colleen Hoover's 2016 book of the same name and will feature an objectively impressive cast that includes a handful of big names. However, one aspect of the actress who is set to play the female lead has disappointed those who read and loved Hoover's romance novel.

Justin Baldoni, known for his role as Rafael in Jane the Virgin and for directing the romance dramas Five Feet Apart and Clouds, will continue exploring behind-the-scenes work with It Ends with Us. The actor and filmmaker's production company, Wayfarer Studios, optioned Hoover's book for a film adaptation in 2019, and the project is finally coming together. Baldoni is directing the movie and starring as Ryle Kincaid. Other cast members include Brandon Sklenar as Atlas Corrigan, Jenny Slate as Allysa, and Hasan Minhaj as Marshall. But the actress playing Lily Bloom, the novel's protagonist, has not been well-received by fans.

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It Ends With Us Readers Think Blake Lively Is Too Old For The Role

Lily Is In Her 20s In The Novel

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Gossip Girl's Blake Lively was cast to play Lily Bloom in the film adaptation of It Ends with Us in early 2023, and backlash against the decision immediately spread throughout the fanbase of Hoover's book. Readers are frustrated with the notion of Lively portraying Lily because they believe she is too old for the role. In the romance novel, Lily is fresh out of college, placing her in her early 20s. In real life, Lively is 36, making her almost 15 years older than her character's age in the book.

The adaptation is seemingly changing the ages of the story's main characters. While Lily and Ryle Kincaid are supposed to be 23 and 30 years old, respectively, in Hoover's novel, Lively and Justin Baldoni are in their mid-to-late-30s. It's unclear if anything else about It Ends with Us's narrative will change in the upcoming movie. However, given the reaction to Lively's casting, any small detail out of place could cause friction in the book's fanbase.

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The Author Said She Made A Mistake Making Lily So Young In The Book

Colleen Hoover Admitted The Original Character Ages Were A Mistake

Image via Sony Pictures

Following the backlash to Blake Lively's casting in It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover addressed the age change for Lily's character, explaining the decision was her own rather than the filmmakers. During an interview with Today, the author said:

"Back when I wrote 'It Ends With Us,' the new adult (genre) was very popular. You were writing college-age characters. That's what I was contracted to do. I made Lily very young. I didn't know that neurosurgeons went to school for 50 years. There's not a 20-something neurosurgeon. As I started making this movie, I'm like, we need to age them out, because I messed up. So that's my fault."

Even though the two main characters will be older in the film adaptation than in the book, their story will likely be the same. Ryle will still be a neurosurgeon, and he and Lily will begin a fraught and turbulent relationship. However, only time will tell if book fans are completely satisfied with It Ends with Us.

Has The Backlash Changed Now That The Trailer Is Out?

The Trailer Gave The First Glimpse At The Aged-Up Characters

Image via Sony Pictures

The first trailer for It Ends with Us was released in May 2024, giving fans their first footage of the anticipated and controversial adaptation. While there are still some in the fandom who prefer the characters to be the ages they were in the book, the trailer has helped to quiet some of the casting controversy surrounding the movie. Seeing Blake Lively's performance in the role gives a sense of the new take on the character, with some fans admitting that the older approach to Lily makes sense of the story.

Ultimately, it will not be until the fans actually see the movie that they will decide if the casting works or not. There are many examples of casting choices that received heavy backlash among fans before when announced only for the end result to be met with huge praise, from Michael Keaton as Batman to Daniel Craig as James Bond. While Lily Bloom may not be as iconic, there are many fans who are protective of the character and want to see the movie version in It Ends with Us do her justice.

It Ends with Us is set to premiere on August 9, 2024.

Source: Today