logo
Marvel asks to be removed From Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni legal battle over Nicepool character, Entertainment News

Marvel asks to be removed From Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni legal battle over Nicepool character, Entertainment News

AsiaOne30-04-2025

Marvel has asked to be removed from Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's legal battle.
The It Ends with Us co-stars are currently locked in a bitter legal dispute with each other and Marvel has requested to be removed from the case over the Nicepool character that features in Deadpool and Wolverine, the Ryan Reynolds-led superhero movie.
Marvel Entertainment recently submitted a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman in the Southern District of New York, urging the court to "quash the subpoena issued to Marvel" from Baldoni's Wayfarer Parties.
The entertainment company has also requested the court to "issue a protective order prohibiting the disclosure of Marvel's confidential documents by any party or other non-party in this action".
[[nid:713998]]
In the court documents — which have been obtained by People — Marvel added: "Alternatively, Marvel requests that the Court stay the return date of the Subpoena and related document requests until after the Court decides the pending motion to dismiss of Counterclaim Defendant Ryan Reynolds."
Baldoni, 41, has claimed that the Nicepool character was used to "bully" him.
And in response to the recent court request, Baldoni's legal team have opposed Marvel's "motion to quash the Wayfarer Parties' Subpoena and for a protective order".
Baldoni's lawyers said: "On April 2, 2025, Marvel sent the Wayfarer Parties a letter containing its objections to the Subpoena, which are the same objections set forth in its recent letter-motion.
"On April 7, 2025, my office met and conferred with Marvel's counsel via telephone about the objections, and although we attempted in good faith to address Marvel's purported concerns about confidentiality and relevancy, Marvel's counsel interrupted us, refusing to engage in that discussion.
"Instead, Marvel's counsel interjected and stated he merely wanted to know what documents the Wayfarer Parties 'really' needed, regardless of the Subpoena's demand for all documents concerning: (a) the creation, development, modification or portrayal of Ryan Reynolds' Nicepool character from Deadpool and Wolverine; and (b) Justin Baldoni."
Nicepool was portrayed by Ryan — Blake's husband — in Deadpool and Wolverine, the 2024 superhero movie.
In the film, Nicepool describes himself as a "feminist" and describes Ladypool — a character played by Blake — as "gorgeous".
[[nid:713680]]

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

AI Startup Midjourney Launches Image-to-Video Creation Model V1- Here is All You Need to Know
AI Startup Midjourney Launches Image-to-Video Creation Model V1- Here is All You Need to Know

International Business Times

time13 hours ago

  • International Business Times

AI Startup Midjourney Launches Image-to-Video Creation Model V1- Here is All You Need to Know

Right after getting into legal trouble with entertainment giant Disney, AI startup has launched its image-to-video generation model V1. The new tool allows users to convert images into short video clips and is available to the users for free. The new offering is available today via Midjourney's website, and it's available to all customers, including those who want to use a free account. Faster video rendering is limited to those users who pay for a subscription, which begins at $10 a month. The move positions the platform in competition with AI-powered video creation. V1's launch is a significant step forward for Midjourney, which has spent the majority of its time creating visually rich static images. With the new tool, the start-up is going after users who want to animate the visuals they create, offering features that strike a balance between simplicity, customization, and affordability. Despite the fact that the tool is available to all the Midjourney users free of cost at the preliminary level, one aspect of concern is the GPU usage by the tool, as the process of video generation is more resource-intensive, requiring eight times more GPU time per second of video. Hence, the users have to allocate GPU time carefully, especially when using the fast mode available under standard subscriptions. The company has also provided Relax Mode to heavy users or creative professionals, but it is accessible only to Pro-tier users and higher. This mode allows unlimited videos at no extra cost, but with longer waiting times, it can at times be up to 10 minutes for one animation. "The pricing model still gives you a massive cost advantage," the company says—reportedly being over 25 times cheaper than any of the current AI video generation tools on the market. Though the new tool is not far from controversy, like many other artificial intelligence models. Midjourney was sued for copyright infringement by major media companies, including Disney and NBCUniversal. The lawsuit claims that the platform enables unauthorized derivative works by reproducing characters and images from popular franchises. The studios said Midjourney has essentially become a "virtual vending machine" for pirated offerings, citing instances using characters from Star Wars, Toy Story, Marvel, and The Simpsons. The company has not publicly addressed the lawsuit or issued a public statement about the legal questions raised about V1. Midjourney founder David Holz has called the video model a "stepping stone" to more sophisticated applications, such as real-time, three-dimensional environments that users can interact with. As far as the actual animation process is concerned, Midjourney V1 is designed to be user-friendly as seen below: Users begin by uploading an image—either created within Midjourney or imported from another source. After the image is generated, an "Animate" button lets users transform the static image into a video. The system produces four 5-second video clips from the chosen image. These clips can be extended by four-second increments, up to a total of 21 seconds. Currently, the videos are silent, with no audio features supported. At present two animation modes are available: First, automatic mode , which applies system-suggested motion effects to the image. Second, manual mode lets users guide the animation through descriptive prompts. which applies system-suggested motion effects to the image. Second, manual mode lets users guide the animation through descriptive prompts. Users can also choose between two camera movement styles: Low Motion keeps the camera largely stationary, and High Motion introduces dynamic movement of both the subject and the camera. This new offering introduces an intuitive way to blend static visuals with motion, enhancing creative storytelling possibilities on the platform. Netizens were quick to upload the videos generated by the tool, which shows the kind of interest this tool has generated as seen above.

Chris Evans disappointed he was not 'invited to the party' for Avengers: Doomsday, Entertainment News
Chris Evans disappointed he was not 'invited to the party' for Avengers: Doomsday, Entertainment News

AsiaOne

time10-06-2025

  • AsiaOne

Chris Evans disappointed he was not 'invited to the party' for Avengers: Doomsday, Entertainment News

Chris Evans is disappointed not to be "invited to the party" for Avengers: Doomsday. The 43-year-old actor — who played Captain America across eight films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) — has admitted while he's still in touch with his former castmates, there's a different feeling after leaving the franchise in Avengers: Endgame. He told ScreenRant: "Yeah, I talk to them all the time. It's where Pedro [Pascal] is right now. I mean, it's sad to be away. "It's sad to not be back with the band, but I'm sure they're doing something incredible, and I'm sure it's going to be that much harder when it comes out, and you feel like you weren't invited to the party." Evans made his final appearance in the MCU when his Captain America travels back in time to return the Infinity Stones. He decides to stay in the past with Peggy Carter, while in the present day, the moniker and shield are passed onto Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). Mackie, 46, will be in the upcoming blockbuster, and he has teased the film will give audiences "that old Marvel feeling". He told IGN: "We're kicking on down the road, so everybody's getting excited and we're getting the band back together. "We're supposed to go out this week, and we'll be out there doing it. Everybody's excited. I feel with the script and having the Russo brothers back, it's going to be great. "I'm really excited for what this project is going to be. It's going to give the audience that old Marvel feeling that they always had." Meanwhile, Alan Cumming recently admitted he was "amazed and excited" to be returning as Nightcrawler for Avengers: Doomsday, which is currently filming in London. Speaking with fellow X-Men star Olivia Munn for Collider, he said: "Isn't it nuts? I'm excited and amazed. It's been 23 years since I was a superhero." And Cumming has appeared to reveal he will be fighting Pascal in Avengers: Doomsday. The 60-year-old actor is set to reprise his X2: X-Men United mutant Nightcrawler in the upcoming MCU blockbuster, and the star hinted he may be coming to blows with Pascal's Mr. Fantastic. During a video interview with Buzzfeed UK, Cumming said: "I was learning stunts yesterday for some fight scene and I just think, I'm 60 years old. 23 years ago, I played that superhero. "I was kind of old for a superhero even then. And now I'm back doing it. And that, to me, is hilarious. "I'm sort of learning these fights and I'm like, 'What? Who am I fighting with?' And they said, 'You're hitting Pedro Pascal against the head,' or something." [[nid:718844]]

Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's $515 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively
Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's $515 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively

Straits Times

time10-06-2025

  • Straits Times

Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's $515 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively

A judge ruled that Blake Lively's (right) accusation about Justin Baldoni's alleged harassment during the filming was shielded from his defamation claim. PHOTOS: REUTERS, AFP NEW YORK – A United States judge on June 9 dismissed actor Justin Baldoni's US$400 million (S$515 million) defamation lawsuit against actress Blake Lively, who had accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her while filming the 2024 movie It Ends With Us. US District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan said Lively's claims to a California state agency about Baldoni's alleged harassment during the filming were privileged, and shielded from the defamation claim by Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios. In a 132-page decision, the judge also dismissed Baldoni's related US$250 million lawsuit against The New York Times. He said Baldoni can try to file a much narrower lawsuit against Lively focused on contractual issues. Lawyers for Baldoni did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 'Today's opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively,' her lawyers Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson said in a joint statement. 'As we have said from day one, this US$400 million lawsuit was a sham.' The Times had no immediate comment. Baldoni's lawsuit was in response to Lively's lawsuit in Manhattan federal court over the alleged harassment. She still seeks unspecified triple and punitive damages in that case, and a March 2026 trial remains scheduled. Lively alleges vengeance The feud began publicly in December when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) about Baldoni, followed by her lawsuit. In response, Baldoni's countersuit accused Lively, her husband and actor Ryan Reynolds, Lively's publicist Leslie Sloane, the Times and others of trying to smear him. Baldoni said Lively tried to effectively hijack It Ends With Us, which he directed and whose themes included domestic violence, and then blame him when her 'disastrous' promotional approach prompted an online backlash against her. His case against the Times focused on its Dec 21, 2024 article about them: 'We Can Bury Anyone': Inside A Hollywood Smear Machine. Lively had called Baldoni's lawsuit a vengeful attempt to weaponise the federal courts, and pursue a sinister campaign to bury and destroy her for speaking out. The Times, meanwhile, said it should not be punished merely for newsgathering, and said a statement in the article that Baldoni led a smear campaign in retaliation to Lively's complaints was protected opinion. Judge finds defamation claim implausible In his decision, the judge said Baldoni alleged at most that Lively communicated the privileged CRD complaint to the Times, while her husband and publicist made what they thought were true statements about Baldoni's sexual harassment. 'The Wayfarer parties' conclusory allegations that Lively, Reynolds and Sloane engaged in a conspiracy to defame the Wayfarer parties by disseminating knowingly false statements cannot substitute for factual allegations supporting a plausible inference that this occurred,' the judge wrote. He also said that even if the Wayfarer parties laid the groundwork for a negative publicity campaign but never put it into operation, the Times would not have known. 'Freedoms of expression require breathing space, and a publisher must be permitted to publish the story that it believes in good faith to be before it,' he wrote. It Ends With Us garnered mixed reviews, but grossed more than US$351 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, an American website that tracks box-office revenue. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store