Blake Lively, whose name has been making more headlines for legal disputes than movie roles in recent months, is set to take center stage in Lionsgate’s upcoming romantic comedy The Survival List. The studio confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that it has acquired the project, with Lively both starring in and producing the film.
According to the official synopsis, Blake Lively will portray Annie, a sophisticated reality television producer who finds herself reluctantly assigned to oversee a new series fronted by the charismatic yet questionable survival guru Chopper Lane. What begins as an unwelcome assignment quickly turns into a fight for survival when the two are shipwrecked on a deserted island, where Annie discovers that Lane’s tough-as-nails persona is nothing more than an act.After a shipwreck leaves the pair stranded on a deserted island, Annie discovers that Lane is a fraud with no survival skills, forcing her to take charge as they struggle to stay alive. The mismatched duo soon develops an unexpected chemistry in the midst of their perilous situation.
The project comes as Lively continues to navigate a high-profile legal battle with her former It Ends With Us director and costar Justin Baldoni. In December, Lively filed a complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department alleging that Baldoni sexually harassed her during production and orchestrated a smear campaign against her during the film’s promotion. Baldoni has strongly denied the allegations, with his attorney dismissing them as “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” Lively later escalated matters with a lawsuit against Baldoni, his studio Wayfarer, and his publicists, while Baldoni countersued and pursued legal action against The New York Times over its reporting on the alleged campaign. Though Baldoni’s lawsuit has since been dismissed, the two former collaborators remain locked in litigation and are due in court again on March 6.
Despite the controversy, Lively has continued working. Earlier this year, she starred in Another Simple Favor, the Lionsgate sequel to her 2018 mystery thriller, and made her first late-night television appearance since the feud began. Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the actress reflected on the challenges women face in speaking publicly about harassment. “Lively reflected on the broader challenges facing women in Hollywood, telling Seth Meyers that she often sees many women hesitant to come forward with their experiences. “I see so many women around me who are afraid to speak, especially now — afraid to share their experiences,” she said, noting that this culture of silence is no accident but intentional.“Fear is by design — it’s what keeps us silent.”But I also acknowledge that many people don’t have the opportunity to speak, so I do feel fortunate that I have been able to.”
With The Survival List now on her horizon, Lively looks to balance her Hollywood comeback with her ongoing courtroom battles, ensuring that both her career and her advocacy remain in the spotlight.
