Blake Lively’s newest film is undergoing a major change just after it was revealed it would open a major film festival.
Her next movie, the sequel to A Simple Favor, was announced as the opening-night film at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival on Tuesday.
However, the movie — previously тιтled simply A Simple Favor 2 — is getting a revamped тιтle ahead of the festival slot.
The 37-year-old actress’ film, in which she stars with returning co-lead Anna Kendrick, has been reтιтled Another Simple Favor.
Director Paul Feig — who previously addressed rumors that the sequel might be shelved in the wake of Lively and Justin Baldoni’s dueling lawsuits — also revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Another Simple Favor will hit Amazon Prime streaming on May 1.
The original film debuted in theaters and earned an impressive $97.6 million against its $20 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo, but the new film will exclusively be available on the streaming service.
Blake Lively’s newest film is undergoing a major change just after it was revealed it would open the 2025 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday; pictured in August in London
It was revealed that the sequel to A Simple Favor is changing its тιтle from A Simple Favor 2 to Another Simple Favor ahead of the premiere; Anna Kendrick and Lively pictured in the original film (2018)
The original film, a black comedy with over-the-top murder-mystery thriller elements, featured Kendrick as Stephanie, a single mother who befriends Emily, the mother of her son’s classmate.
But Emily soon goes missing, and Stephanie is entangled in the investigation into a shocking death.
Read More Justin Baldoni lawsuit claims Blake Lively blew It Ends with Us budget on her wardrobe 
In Another Simple Favor, Stephanie travels to Capri, Italy, where Emily is set to tie the knot with a wealthy Italian businessman.
But the nuptials are thrown into chaos after another murder occurs that once again binds Stephanie and Emily.
In addition to the two leads, costar Henry Golding is returning for the sequel, as are Andrew Rannells and Bashir Salahuddin.
Another Simple Favor will also feature new stars Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell and Allison Janney.
Feig will be returning to SXSW after his film Bridesmaids premiered at the festival in Austin, Texas, in 2011 and Spy debuted there in 2015.
‘I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back at my favorite festival in the world where we successfully launched Bridesmaids and Spy, and I cannot begin to say how honored I am to have our film opening it all,’ Feig said in a statement. ‘I’ve avoided making sequels to any of my films but these characters were just too much fun not to revisit.’
Director Paul Feig also suggested in a statement that Lively would be among the cast at the premiere, which would mark her first significant public appearance since she filed a Sєxual harᴀssment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us director and costar Justin Baldoni
In Another Simple Favor, Lively and Kendrick’s characters are again embroiled in a murder mystery after they travel to Capri, Italy, for the wedding of Lively’s character Emily; still from A Simple Favor (2018)
The film news comes after Baldoni accused Lively of ballooning It Ends With Us’ budget by $430K after she allegedly demanded her wardrobe be ‘re-shopped’ to match her vision for her character; pictured in December 2023 in NYC
Feig also suggested that Lively might be joining the rest of the cast at the premiere, which would mark her first significant public appearance since she filed a Sєxual harᴀssment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us director and costar Justin Baldoni.
‘To be able to have Anna, Blake, Henry, Andrew, Michele, Elizabeth, Alex and myself watch our film with the great SXSW audience is a bucket list event that I’ll be able to check off March 7,’ Feig said, before jokingly adding that he could now ‘move playing drums for Dwight Yoakum’s band up to the top slot.’
‘Paul Feig has once again delivered the perfect blend of mystery, wit and unexpected twists in the highly anticipated Another Simple Favor,’ Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, added in a statement. ‘The cast, led by the extraordinarily talented Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, brings life to a script that propels the sequel to new heights.
‘We are beyond grateful for our collaborations with Paul, Blake, Anna and the entire cast and filmmaking team. We could not be more excited to share the next chapter of this saga with the always enthusiastic SXSW audience and ultimately with our Prime Video customers around the world,’ she said.
Lively was recently seen for the first time in weeks in a loved-up selfie that her husband Ryan Reynolds posted to his Instagram Stories after they went on a date night.
It arrived after Baldoni — who is suing the couple and Lively’s publicist in a $400 million defamation suit and the New York Times for printing Lively’s accusations in a separate $250 million libel suit — accused Lively of ballooning It Ends With Us’ budget by $430,000 after she allegedly demanded her wardrobe be ‘re-shopped’ to match her vision for the character of Lily Bloom.
He also accuses her of refusing to go to wardrobe fittings located at the production office, which was just 15 minutes from her home in Manhattan, and instead requesting that clothing by shipped to her at a considerable charge.
