• Seven superhero movies came out in 2024.
• "Deadpool & Wolverine" was the only superhero film to get a Rotten Tomatoes critic score above 50% this year.
• Sony released three new movies in their Spider-Man universe, including the universally panned "Madame Web."

"Deadpool & Wolverine" may have made a whopping $1.3 billion at the box office but, overall, 2024 has been a bad year for superhero movies.

Disney's Marvel Studios and Warner Bros' DC Studios released a film each in 2024 in response to superhero fatigue criticism over the last couple of years and as they prepared to enter a new phase in their respective franchises.

This left space for Sony and other studios to enter the market. But critics panned most of this year's superhero movies, with only Marvel's "Deadpool & Wolverine" receiving a Rotten Tomatoes score above 50%.

Here are all seven superhero movies ranked from lowest to highest, according to their Rotten Tomatoes critic scores.

Years after her season of The Bachelorette with Gabby Windey, Rachel Recchia had a former flame slide into her DMs.

“I got a DM from one of these guys who rejected my rose,” Rachel, 28, said on the Saturday, December 21, episode of the “Almost Famous” podcast, noting that she received the message about a month ago. “He unsent the message, but I have a screenshot.”

While questioning why the contestant would send the DM, Rachel said, “If you’re going to send a message like that, which he’s also kind of apologizing in a way, say it with your full chest.”

“He starts off, ‘Yo. What’s up Rachel, so random, I know. I was literally just thinking about my time at the Bach house and all the regrets I have from not seeing things through. I definitely had to reach out because it’s something on my mind, and is something I’ve thought about for a couple years. What could’ve been and how fun things could have/be,’” she read. “‘So I’m just reaching out to see if you’d be down to chill and grab a drink or two and vibe out.’”

Rachel Recchia Reacts to Fan Recreating Her and Tino's Breakup

Rachel explained that she thinks the contestant is thinking about how he “totally lost the experience” of the show.

“I’m like, ‘You didn’t even give me a shot and so I will not be giving you a shot now,’” she said. “But you know what, we could have been something.”

Rachel explained that the former suitor, who follows her on Instagram, “chose to go home” during week 2 even though she “wanted him there.”

“I feel bad reading it, but you get me,” Rachel told cohost and former Bachelorette Trista Sutter. “That’s crazy.”

Rachel Speaks Out After Zach References Their Past — Again — on 'Bachelor'

While recalling her time as the lead with Gabby, 33, Rachel explained that the contestants split up between the two women.

“The boys, from what I gathered, didn’t know that once you didn’t get a rose from one, you didn’t get it from the other one,” Rachel said. “So, one guy said, ‘No,’ to my rose because he thought he could get Gabby’s, which, fair, and then it just tumbled.”

Rachel called this rose ceremony “the most humiliating night” of her life. “Your confidence is already like, ‘Do these guys like me?’ I’m so nervous, I’m doing this for the first time,” she said. “To have people be like, ‘I would rather go home than even date you,’ … it was horrible.”

From Rachel’s perspective, the men “really want to have power.” She added, “They’re so used to being the one to be the pursuer and it’s when it’s in our hands, I feel like it takes their masculinity away. When they feel like, ‘Oh, I’m not your front runner, I’m just going to leave because I don’t want you to reject me,’”

Rachel ultimately ended up accepting a proposal from Tino Franco on season 19 of the ABC series, but the pair called it quits when it was revealed he had kissed another woman during a rough patch in their relationship.

Move over, Home Alone! There’s no shortage of films to watch over the Christmas season, but there are more movies to add to the queue beyond It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street or A Christmas Story.

Die Hard is the quintessential film that wasn’t considered a Christmas classic at first. However, some fans count the 1988 thriller among their favorite holiday flicks.

In the film, New York City cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) reunites with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) in Los Angeles at her office’s Christmas Eve party. John must rescue the employees after a gang of terrorists take them hostage.

Die Hard director John McTiernan might not have intended for the action film to become a Christmas classic. Author Larry Taylor detailed McTiernan’s initial intentions for the movie in his book John McTiernan: Rise and Fall of An Action Movie Icon.

“He didn’t consciously make it a Christmas movie, but he made sure to weave certain elements of it into the tapestry of the film,” Taylor explained. “It would keep the holiday season right behind the action, and it would help alleviate some of the stress of the intense action.”

Scroll down to see more Christmas movies that aren’t technically Christmas movies.

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

The casts of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. continually bring the heat on screen — and some of the stars have equally as fiery romances off camera.

Chicago P.D.’s Jesse Lee Soffer and Sophia Bush, for example, dated from 2014 to 2016. Their red-hot relationship seemed to mirror their TV characters’ Jay Halstead and Erin Lindsay’s romance. Following their split — and Bush’s exit from the series — Soffer briefly dated Chicago Med’s Torrey DeVitto.

Chicago Fire’s Taylor Kinney, meanwhile, made headlines in 2015 when he got engaged to Lady Gaga. The relationship eventually fizzled out, but fans’ desire to learn about their favorite One Chicago star’s love lives remains alive and well.

Scroll down to see which One Chicago stars are single — and who is taken:

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

©

Demi Moore is still ecstatic that she recently reunited with her Saint Elmo’s Fire and About Last Night costar Rob Lowe.

“About Last (Saturday) Night with @roblowe ,” Moore, 62, wrote via Instagram on Friday, December 20. “An ’80s reunion to round out 2024 — thank you, Rob, for introducing our @trythesubstance screening! Grateful for the past, the present and what’s yet to come .”

Moore shared footage of the moment that Lowe, 60, joined her at a December 14 screening of The Substance in Beverly Hills, California. They even posed together with Moore’s beloved pet dog, Pilaf.

While answering fan questions, Moore had requested “a little extra time” to ponder one about her favorite movie when Lowe, suddenly, jumped up from his seat in the crowd.

Rob Lowe Says He and Demi Moore 'Briefly Had a Thing' in the ‘80s

“I’m gonna give you a little help with that one,” he quipped, walking onstage to give her a hug and a kiss on the side of her head. “About Last Night!“

She replied, “Ladies and gentlemen, a special guest: Mr. Rob Lowe.”

Moore and Lowe had costarred in 1985’s St. Elmo’s Fire and About Last Night the following year.

“So proud of my great friend, Demi and her amazing movie,” Lowe gushed via Instagram later on Friday.

Lowe naming About Last Night as Moore’s favorite film project aligns with his own thoughts.

“Of all the stuff I did in the ’80s, if I had to pick one, it would for sure be About Last Night,” Lowe said on an October episode of Kelly Ripa’s “Let’s Talk About It” podcast, noting he and Moore briefly had a fling, too. “I mean, Demi and I briefly — I’m not telling tales out of school — we briefly had a thing.”

Demi Moore's Daughter Tallulah Turned Off Her Movie Over Rob Lowe Sex Scene

He added, “Look, anytime you put young 20-something men and women together, hookups are inevitable.”

At the time, Lowe also teased that he and Moore were discussing a potential St. Elmo’s Fire sequel.

“It’s moving along,” Lowe said on the podcast episode. “It’s going a little more slowly than I would have liked, but that’s a good thing because we’re trying to find the right writer and the right story. But all of the actors, everybody is on board. Everybody’s excited.”

He further noted, “I think the theme of St. Elmo’s Fire today is that it’s never too late for happiness. You know, because our kids are out of school, and maybe some of us have been divorced … all the things that you deal with as you get to our ages, this is an opportunity to explore those themes with characters that people know and love.”

According to Lowe, he is hopeful that the same team can pull off a follow-up film.

“I actually think there’s a lot to be said about why we’re doing it and I’m super excited about it,” he quipped.

Jalen Hurts left the Philadelphia Eagles’ Sunday, December 22, football game against the Washington Commanders after suffering a concussion.

Hurts, 26, abruptly left the field in the middle of the first quarter after his head collided with the turf. The Eagles quarterback had been hit by Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner while diving head-first on a 13-yard scramble. Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu then hit Hurts in the head. (According to NBC Sports, no flags were called by referees.)

Hurts was promptly evaluated in the medical tent before he walked out of the stadium and into the locker room. According to a social media statement, Hurts was ruled as “out” for the remainder of the football game.

Kenny Pickett was then called in to replace Hurts, quickly completing a touchdown pass to teammate A.J. Brown.

Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts Is Engaged to Bry Burrows

Further updates on Hurts’ condition have not been shared. His teammate, running back Will Shipley, was also evaluated with a concussion during Sunday’s game and later ruled against returning to the field.

Hurts, for his part, had not missed a single NFL game all season, according to ESPN.

At last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hurts was also fined over $5,000 for wearing two different colored cleats on the field. (Jordan Brand, who made the shoes, later offered to cover the cost.)

“I was supposed to wear the Columbia 11s that I gifted the kids that were at the ‘Wings Initiative’ after last week’s game and they never came in,” Hurts told reporters at the time. “I end up having all my shoes there. Guy wanted to take some pictures. Took about five minutes, some very casual. And ended up taking pictures with two different cleats. And I was like, ‘I’ll wear these on Sunday because my shoes didn’t come in.’ Hopefully, they come in soon.”

Hurts previously wore different colored shoes during an October game after one had popped off mid-game.

“I had to go Jalen Two-Shoes for a bit,” he joked.

Eagles' Jalen Hurts Steps Out With Girlfriend Bry Burrows at NYC Gala

Hurts was drafted by the Eagles in 2020, three years before leading the team to the Super Bowl but lost to Kansas City Chiefs.

“You either win or you learn,” Hurts told reporters after the championship. “That’s how I feel. You either win or you learn. Win, lose, I always reflect on the things I could have done better, anything you could have done better to try and take that next step. That’ll be the same process I always have going on.”

©

• China's internet isn't happy that "Wukong Sun: Black Legend" is due for release on Nintendo's store.
• It's a 2D platformer game with art and a title that resembles "Black Myth: Wukong."
• Immensely popular in China, the game has an ardent player base that is fiercely defending the title.

"Black Myth: Wukong," the high-profile video game that earned superstar status in China, has a new titular competitor on the market: a side-scrolling platformer in which the Monkey King bashes through monsters of ancient legend.

"Wukong Sun: Black Legend," published by Global Game Studio, is now listed for preorder on Nintendo's store for its Switch console — much to the chagrin of China's social media.

Posts deriding the Nintendo-listed game as a knock-off emerged on Monday morning and, within an hour, topped discussion rankings on Weibo, China's version of X, per data seen by Business Insider.

"Hey everyone, have you heard? The stunning 'Black Myth: Wukong' has actually been copied! This really makes you speechless," one user wrote.

"Since Nintendo has removed pirated games from its shelves, this should also be removed," wrote another.

Promotional art for the Nintendo-listed game, which is due for release on December 26 and retails at $7.99, bears a striking resemblance to that of "Black Myth: Wukong."

But the new title's gameplay looks nothing like that of "Black Myth: Wukong," a 3D action game with spruced-up visuals and a famed boss system that's difficult to overcome.

"Wukong Sun: Black Legend" appears to feature 2D sprites that approach from the right of the screen as the player navigates from the left.

"Black Myth: Wukong," produced by Chinese developer Game Science, is based on characters from the 1592 novel "Journey to the West," one of the most famous literary works in the region and a cornerstone of Chinese popular culture and mythology.

The term "Black Myth" in the game's title refers to it telling a story that is not included in the original novel, which has served as the base for a hit 1986 TV show and a plethora of books, games, and other media.

On its Nintendo store page, "Wukong Sun: Black Legend" also references the novel, saying it would allow players to "embark on an epic Journey to the West" and battle characters from its mythology.

Weibo users aren't having any of it.

"Well-known games have been plagued by imitations for a long time," wrote Pear Video, a popular internet news account. "Malicious developers exploit the names of well-known games, reskin various small games, and put them on the shelves of big game stores with similar titles, deceiving uninformed consumers to buy and download."

"I wonder how Nintendo will deal with it," a popular millennial gaming blogger wrote.

Nintendo operates a marketplace that allows developers to publish games for Nintendo consoles. The company did not respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours by BI.

Global Game Studio is listed as both the developer and publisher of "Wukong Sun: Black Legend." According to Nintendo's website the developer has also produced a soccer game, an extreme sports biking game, a "Farming Harvester Simulator," and a zombie shooter.

The studio did not respond to a request for comment in an email sent by BI.

"Black Myth: Wukong" is considered China's first homegrown AAA video game success, selling over 20 million copies on the marketplace Steam, per the data tracker Video Game Insights. The game retails at about $59.99 per copy, putting total sales north of $1 billion.

Its release dominated China's internet this summer and has garnered an ardent cult following. Earlier this month, the title's failure to clinch the coveted "Game of the Year" award from The Games Awards sparked a wave of dissatisfaction on Chinese social media.

Tigerlily and Adnan are expecting their first child, but Loren and Faith are seemingly no longer engaged

'The Secret of Us' singer is the daughter of 'Star Wars' director J.J. Abrams and actress Katie McGrath

Floyd popped the question to Frei in her hometown of Boston on Saturday, Dec. 21

The gift arrived at the girl's hospital room just days after she met the "Karma" singer

Jonathan Owens kicked off the Sunday, December 22, Chicago Bears football game with his usual pre-kickoff kiss from his wife, Simone Biles.

Biles, 27, met up with Owens, 29, on the sidelines of Chicago’s Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon before the game began where he gave the Olympic gymnast a sweet peck on the cheek.

Biles turned up to watch her husband’s NFL team take on the Detroit Lions in a cozy-chic outfit. She sported a black puffer coat with a matching fuzzy bucket hat from Prada.

For glam, Biles rocked her hair down in braided locs.

Simone Biles' Husband Gives His Best Gymnastics Salute After Forced Fumble

The gymnast and Owens have been married since April 2023 and they are frequent supporters of one another’s careers. For Biles, she’s a fixture at Owen’s NFL games, where they often share a kiss before kickoff.

Owens also likes to cheer on Biles at gymnastics meets, even receiving special permission to skip a few days of Bears training camp to watch her in the Paris Olympics this past summer.

“It is not much motivation you need to do, just because you don’t want to put extra, added pressure on anyone,” Owens exclusively told Us Weekly in July. “I just tell her, ‘Go do your thing, baby.’… As long as she’s there, she’s on the field, give her a kiss and we can go about our way.”

He continued at the time, “You get a different type of focus whenever you just have this one person that you’re focusing on. And I ain’t saying there’s something wrong with being single, but for me, knowing myself, I’ve played a lot better since [meeting Simone], I’ve just been focused and locked in, and you come home, talk about my day and play with the dogs, you know what I mean? That’s just kind of, like, our thing.”

Simone Biles and Husband Jonathan Owens Pack on the PDA at Bears Away Game

Owens has come a long way as he initially did not even recognize Biles when they crossed paths on the dating app Raya in 2020.

“[I] had been on [Raya] for a couple days and then she pops up. I’m like, ‘Lemme see who this is,’” the NFL safety recalled on “The Pivot” podcast in a December 2023 episode. “I never really paid attention to gymnastics, so it piqued my curiosity [and I was like], ‘I’ll see what’s up.’”

When they first met, Owens played for the Houston Texans, which is based nearby to Biles’ gymnastics training facility. After Biles and Owens tied the knot last year, they started building their dream home in the Lone Star State.

“At this point, we’ve waited so long for it to be built, we’ll just wait until after the [NFL] season to move in,” Biles told Us last month. “Right now, they’re doing all of the backyard stuff. Jonathan wanted a half-basketball court, a barbeque pit, all of the good stuff. We did put an in-ground trampoline and a pool.”

Biles continued, “We should be closing fairly soon. I go in two weeks to check on it again to see where we are, but we’re literally almost there.”

The actress stars as Tanya Martin in the 'Dexter' prequel series

Jennifer Grey took a trip down memory lane recalling filming a sex scene with Patrick Swayze in 1984’s Red Dawn.

“As an actor, you’re looking at all your stuff in the script, and you’re like, ‘OK, I’m running. I’m shooting. I’m running. I’m throwing hand grenades. I’m killing myself with a hand grenade,’” Grey, 64, said on the Friday, December 20, episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast. “But this is the only acting scene I get to do where I’m not doing action.”

Grey recalled being in a sleeping bag with Swayze, who died at age 57 after battling pancreatic cancer, and noted that he was “nervous.”

“He came into the sleeping bag drunk,” Grey claimed. “And he didn’t know his lines. And then it got cut. And they said, ‘We’ll come back and reshoot it.’ But, of course, they didn’t.”

Remembering Patrick Swayze 15 Years Later: He 'Fought’ Like a ‘Warrior’

Grey called the scene, which didn’t end up making the film, “one of the more tender scenes which was, I thought, part of the reason I wanted to do the job.”

The movie, which is set in the 1980s, follows teenagers who escape with their friends into the mountains as they prepare for a counter-attack against a Russian-led invasion of their town. Grey and Swayze starred in the film alongside Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, C. Thomas Howell and more.

While recalling filming Red Dawn, Grey said her costars would “put firecrackers in my door” to “prank” her.

“I think I was smoking a lot of weed in those days, too,” she said. “And so, I was super paranoid, and I was scared. So I didn’t sleep the whole night. So when I went in to shoot my big love scene, my big … romantic scene with him, I was so angry because I was, you know, all self-righteous, like, ‘Hi, how dare you be so unprofessional?’”

'Dirty Dancing' Exists in the 'Gilmore Girls' Universe — Here's Proof

“I didn’t get to sleep and I was anxious and felt like it was a problem, then all of a sudden I was like, ‘You know what? You’re killing me. You’re killing me in this show,’” she continued.

When the movie wrapped, Grey recalled thinking he was “not professional” and was hesitant to have him be in 1987’s Dirty Dancing.

“When they started talking about him for Dirty Dancing, I was like, ‘Oh, no, anybody but him. I know. He’s a dancer. I know he’s a dancer. He talks about it all the time,’” she said, adding that Swayze was in the 1975 musical Goodtime Charley with her dad, Joel Grey, as a dancer.

Ultimately, however, Swayze starred as Johnny in the iconic film, where Grey played Baby. The movie, which followed Baby filling in for Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) as Johnny’s dance partner, produced several memorable moments — including the iconic lift.

“I only did it on the day I shot it,” Grey told The Guardian in 2015 about the scene. “Never rehearsed it, never done it since. I don’t know how all these people who reenact it have the guts to throw themselves into the arms of anyone other than Patrick Swayze. It’s insane!”

Professional boxer Tyson Fury lost his big match to Oleksandr Usyk, subsequently storming out of the ring.

According to footage shared via Sky Sports, Fury, 36, hastily exited the boxing ring after the 12 rounds concluded on Saturday, December 21.

“I swear to God, I thought I won by three rounds,” Fury told reporters later that night. “I thought I won the fight again. I was on the front foot the entire time. When you don’t get the knockout, this is what can happen.”

Meet Boxer Tyson Fury’s Family: His Wife, 7 Kids, Famous Brother and More

Saturday’s fight was a rematch for Fury and Usyk, 37, in a bid to retain the world championship title belt. They first fought in May, which Usyk won in a split decision. He won in a landslide the second time.

“I feel like I won both fights. I know I had to knock him out but it’s boxing and this happens. There is no doubt in my mind I won this fight,” Fury said in a press conference that night. “I’m not going to cry over spilled milk, it’s over now.”

He added, “I’ve been in boxing my whole life but I’ll always feel a little bit hard done by — not a little bit, a lot.”

Fury had been so locked into the fight that he even ceased speaking to his wife, Paris, and their seven children during training.

“I’ve been away from my wife and kids for three months. I’ve not spoken to Paris at all in three months,” Fury told Queensbury Promotions earlier this week. “I’ve sacrificed a lot.”

Fury and Paris share daughters Venezuela, 15, Valencia, 7, and Athena, 3, as well as sons Prince John James, 13, Prince Tyson, 8, and Prince Adonis Amaziah, 5. They have been among his biggest supporters.

Boxer Tyson Fury Hasn’t Spoken to His Wife in 3 Months During Training

“To get a woman who’s been with you all that time and gone through … the good times and the bad times … [for her] to still be there when you don’t want to be and when you’re being forced away and you’re being pushed out, that takes a very strong individual,” Tyson previously told The Overlap in a September 2021 interview.

Fury’s two losses to Usyk are the only two times he’s not proved victorious throughout his entire athletic career.

“I feel very good. I’ve sparred more than I’ve sparred in years and I’ve been able to do stuff that I’ve always been able to do,” Fury had told Queensbury Promotions ahead of the matchup. “I’d be the first one to say, ‘You know what, I’m finished,’ but I ain’t, I’m very far from that, feeling very good. I cannot wait for the fight Saturday night. I’ll end his career. You’ll never hear from Oleksandr Usyk after this.”

The actress and 'It Ends with Us' director/star Justin Baldoni could be headed to trial if they don’t first reach a settlement, legal expert Gregory Doll, who’s not involved in the case, tells PEOPLE

Jost had never seen the jokes before reading them out loud to a live national audience — that included his wife — per the show's biannual tradition

“You’re my favorite person to do absolutely anything and everything with," Koma wrote in an Instagram tribute to his wife

Outer Banks is coming to an end, but the fictional world is still growing with a prequel and a spinoff.

The hit Netflix series, which premiered in 2020, introduced the conflict between two groups of teenagers in a coastal North Carolina town. The social divide was focused on the Kooks, a.k.a. the wealthy residents, and the working-class crew known as the Pogues. The search for a lost treasure caused the two squads to be even more at odds, while a found family formed between the friend group at the center of the show.

Outer Banks catapulted stars Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Rudy Pankow, Drew Starkey, Carlacia Grant and Austin North to fame before Netflix confirmed in November 2024 that season 5 would be the show’s last.

“We are excited for season 5, and we’re excited for other stories in this universe down the line,” the executive producers said during an interview with Deadline about the future of Outer Banks. While the trio wouldn’t elaborate on their plans for the fictional universe, the outlet reported that no projects are currently in the works but offshoots are being explored.

'Outer Banks' Cast: See the Hit Netflix Show's Stars Then and Now

Fans already know about The Runarounds, which was ordered by Prime Video but will explore a teen band that originated on Outer Banks. Meanwhile, Netflix will remain in the treasure-hunting game through a potential prequel titled Kildare.

Keep scrolling for a comprehensive guide to the entire Outer Banks universe:

‘Outer Banks’

After premiering in 2020, Outer Banks quickly found its audience and the show continued to break streaming records for Netflix. Outer Banks made a controversial decision ahead of its final season when Pankow’s fan-favorite character, JJ, died.

‘The Runarounds’

Based on a teleplay from Jonas Pate and David Wilcox, the fictional series will follow the real band of the same name featuring William Lipton, Axel Ellis, Jeremy Yun, Zendé Murdock and Jesse Golliher.

Fans of Outer Banks might recognize The Runarounds after they appeared on an episode of the show in 2023. The Runarounds were seen in the background playing at an anniversary party for the parents of Kiara (Bailey).

Pate confirmed in December 2024 that Prime Video already ordered a second season before the show even premiered.

The Runarounds Appeared on 'Outer Banks' Before Series Order: What to Know

‘Kildare’

Pate revealed in December 2024 that he was writing a prequel to Outer Banks titled Kildare. The series is still in the early stages but would feature a whole new set of young actors and focus on the founding of each group in the show’s fictional Figure 8 town.

• Blake Lively filed a legal complaint against her "It Ends with Us" costar, Justin Baldoni.
• Taylor Swift and Hailey Bieber appeared in the complaint.
• Lively's complaint said Baldoni and his team conspired to damage her reputation.

In a new legal complaint, Blake Lively said that her "It Ends with Us" costar, Justin Baldoni, who also directed and produced the film, conspired to damage her reputation and credibility.

The complaint also mentions Taylor Swift and Hailey Bieber.

Lively named Baldoni and six other defendants in her complaint, including the CEO and cofounder of his production studio, Wayfarer Studios. She also named communications crisis manager Melissa Nathan of The Agency Group PR and Baldoni's publicist, Jennifer Abel.

In the complaint, Lively said Baldoni and his team created a "multi-tiered plan" using "social manipulation" to "destroy" her reputation.

"This plan went well beyond standard crisis PR. What Ms. Nathan proposed included a practice known as 'Astroturfing,' which has been defined as 'the practice of publishing opinions or comments on the internet, in the media, etc. that appear to come from ordinary members of the public but actually come from a particular company or political group,'" according to the complaint.

The complaint says that Baldoni and his team discussed controversies around Swift and Bieber as strategic suggestions while conspiring against Lively.

Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, said Lively's complaint was a "desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation."

Baldoni and his team considered leveraging backlash around Swift and the 'weaponization of feminism,' the complaint says

Nathan's communications company shared a "Scenario Planning" document with Baldoni and others that outlined potential strategies "should [Ms. Lively] and her team make her grievances public," the complaint says.

The complaint includes a copy of that document, which Lively's attorneys obtained through a civil subpoena.

The planning document discussed what Baldoni's team could do if Lively's husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, publicly defended her against critics. It included a reference to Swift, who is a friend of Lively. The pair have attended Kansas City Chiefs football games together and have been photographed by paparazzi while hanging out.

"As part of this, our team can also explore planting stories about the weaponization of feminism and how people in BL's circle, like Taylor Swift, have been accused of utilizing these tactics to 'bully' into getting what they want," the planning document says, according to the complaint.

The complaint says Baldoni used a social media post about Bieber and bullying as an example strategy

Lively's complaint also contained screenshots of text message conversations between Baldoni and his team, which were also obtained through a civil subpoena. According to the complaint, Baldoni sent a text message to his publicist, Abel, in early August.

"A few days later, on August 5, 2024, Mr. Baldoni set the narrative for the social media campaign, sending Ms. Abel a screenshot of a thread on X that had accused another female celebrity of bullying women," the complaint said. "Mr. Baldoni stated, 'this is what we would need.'"

The social media post included two pictures of Bieber and insinuated she had bullied other women. That narrative gained traction on social media in 2023 and resulted in widespread backlash against Bieber.

A representative for Lively referred Business Insider to a statement she shared with The New York Times.

"I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted," she said.

Lively also said neither she nor her representatives planted negative stories about Baldoni or Wayfarer Studios.

Baldoni's attorney said the accusations in Lively's complaint were "completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media."

Representatives for Bieber and Swift did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.