Blake Lively lead in survival romance amid legal dispute

Blake Lively headlines The Survival List, an action romantic comedy, while a legal battle surrounding the film’s cast casts a shadow over the project.

Blake Lively leads survival romcom amid legal dispute

Blake Lively is set to star in The Survival List, an action romantic comedy from Lionsgate. The story follows Annie, a highbrow reality TV producer, who is pulled into a new show hosted by survival expert Chopper Lane. A shipwreck strands them on a deserted island and Annie discovers that Chopper is a fraud who knows nothing about survival. She must take charge to keep them alive, and the two form an unlikely chemistry as they work together. The role of Chopper Lane has not yet been cast. Lionsgate bought the spec script from Tom Melia, and Marc Platt is in talks to join as a producer. Scott O'Brien will oversee the project for Lionsgate.

This is Lively’s first theatrical release since It Ends With Us, which became a sleeper hit with substantial global box office. Off screen, Lively is suing Justin Baldoni in federal court for sexual harassment and retaliation, alleging a smear campaign followed her complaints about conditions on the It Ends With Us set. Baldoni’s defamation suit against Lively was dismissed. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.

The Survival List arrives at a moment when star driven comedies can still draw audiences, but the on and off screen realities around Blake Lively add a new layer of risk for the project. Studios often try to separate a film from headlines, yet in today’s media climate a lead actor facing legal action can influence press strategy, marketing plans, and even release timing. The choice to push forward signals Lionsgate’s continued faith in the property, even as production questions and lawsuit coverage could shape public perception.

Highlights

The film will test how audiences respond to a light genre under a real world glare.