You probably saw the headlines. Or maybe the TikToks. For a while there, it was impossible to escape the whirlwind surrounding It Ends With Us. But honestly? The industry moves fast, and Blake Lively is already steering the ship toward something entirely different. If you’re looking for Another Simple Favor, the high-stakes, fashion-drenched sequel to her 2018 hit, you’re looking at the actual future of her career.
It’s scheduled to hit Prime Video on May 1, 2025. Yeah, that’s just around the corner.
While everyone was busy dissecting behind-the-scenes drama from her last project, Lively was quietly in Italy filming this follow-up. It’s a bold move. Usually, when a movie does $350 million at the box office like her last one did, the star sticks to that lane. Instead, she’s pivoting back to Emily Nelson—the martini-drinking, suit-wearing enigma we first met years ago.
The Chaos of Another Simple Favor: What We Know
So, what’s actually happening in Another Simple Favor?
Basically, the whole gang is back. Anna Kendrick returns as Stephanie Smothers, the "mommy vlogger" who’s a lot more capable of mayhem than her sunny disposition suggests. This time, the setting has shifted from suburban Connecticut to the glamorous cliffs of Capri, Italy.
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The plot kicks off with Emily’s wedding. She’s marrying a wealthy Italian businessman, because of course she is. But because this is a Paul Feig movie, the nuptials are really just a backdrop for murder, betrayal, and probably a few more "motherf***er" martinis. It’s supposed to be darker, weirder, and way more stylish than the first one.
Why this sequel is a gamble
- The Streaming Pivot: Releasing a sequel to a theatrical hit directly on Prime Video is a choice. It shows that Amazon is betting big on Lively’s "star power" to drive subscriptions rather than ticket sales.
- The Tonal Shift: The first movie was a satire of Gone Girl. Keeping that "is this a comedy or a thriller?" balance for a second round is notoriously hard.
- The "Lively" Brand: After the PR rollercoaster of late 2024, this movie serves as a reset. It reminds people why they liked her in the first place: the wit, the outfits, and the "cool girl" edge.
Beyond the Sequel: The Survival List and Lady Killer
If you think she’s stopping at one sequel, you haven’t been paying attention. Blake Lively is currently one of the most active producers in Hollywood. She isn't just waiting for scripts to show up in her inbox; she’s optioning books and hiring writers.
One project that’s been making noise is The Survival List. It’s a "tropical action-romance" where she plays a reality TV producer who gets shipwrecked with a survival expert. The catch? He’s a total fraud. It sounds like The Shallows meets The Proposal, and frankly, we need more mid-budget movies like that.
Then there’s Lady Killer. This one has been in the works with Netflix for a bit. It’s based on the Dark Horse comic about a 1950s housewife who is secretly a contract killer. Diablo Cody—the genius behind Juno and Jennifer’s Body—wrote the script. If that actually gets through the production pipeline, it could be the role that finally nets her some serious awards buzz.
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What most people get wrong about her career
There is this weird misconception that Lively just "plays herself" or only cares about the fashion. It’s a bit reductive.
When you look at the numbers, she’s one of the few actresses who can actually open a movie. The Shallows was basically just her and a seagull on a rock, and it made over $100 million. It Ends With Us was a massive commercial success regardless of the internet's opinion on the marketing.
The nuance here is that she’s moving into a "mogul" phase. Like Reese Witherspoon or Margot Robbie, she is using her production company, B for Effort, to control the narrative. She’s not just the "newest movie" star; she’s the one signing the checks.
Dealing with the "It Ends With Us" Aftermath
We have to talk about it because it’s the elephant in the room. The tension between Lively and director Justin Baldoni was the talk of 2024. There were lawsuits mentioned in early 2025, and the "creative differences" were clearly more like "creative combat."
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But look at the results. The movie worked for the audience it was built for. It proved that the "Colleen Hoover effect" is real and that Lively is the face of that demographic. Even if a sequel to that specific story (likely It Starts With Us) seems unlikely given the friction on set, she’s already claimed that territory.
Upcoming Release Timeline
To keep it simple, here is what your calendar should look like if you're following her work:
- March 7, 2025: Another Simple Favor world premiere at SXSW.
- May 1, 2025: Another Simple Favor officially drops on Prime Video.
- Late 2025 / Early 2026: Potential production dates for The Survival List.
- TBA: Lady Killer (Netflix) and The Husband’s Secret (based on the Liane Moriarty book).
How to stay ahead of the curve
If you want to understand where her career is going, stop looking at the red carpet photos and start looking at the producers' credits. She is doubling down on adaptations of female-led bestsellers. It’s a proven goldmine.
The best way to prep for her next era is to revisit the original A Simple Favor. Pay attention to the way she plays Emily. It’s a performance that is much more calculated and "meta" than people gave it credit for at the time.
Watch for the Another Simple Favor trailer to drop in full force about a month before the May release. That’s when we’ll see if the "Emily Nelson" magic still holds up in the Italian sun. If it does, expect a whole new wave of "pantsuit summer" to take over your social feeds.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Industry Observers:
- Follow the Producers: Keep an eye on Kate Varhoff and the "B for Effort" production slate; that’s where the real news breaks.
- Watch the SXSW Reactions: The March premiere will be the first litmus test for whether her PR has fully recovered.
- Don't Ignore Streaming: The shift to Prime Video for a major sequel suggests a massive change in how "A-list" movies are being distributed in 2025 and 2026.