LOS ANGELES (AP) — “It Ends With Us” actor and director Justin Baldoni has sued his co-star Blake Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, for defamation and extortion on Thursday in the latest move in a bitter legal battle surrounding the dark romantic drama.

Baldoni, in a lawsuit filed in New York federal court on Thursday, alleges extortion, defamation and claims related to breach of contract, among several others. He’s joined by his film studio, Wayfarer, and its chief executive Jamey Heath, and their public relations representatives, Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel. They seek at least $400 million.

Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, had said for weeks he planned to file a suit against Lively, Baldoni’s co-star on “It End With Us,” and Reynolds, Lively’s husband.

Escalating his litigiousness, Baldoni has sued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for $400 million, alleging that the power couple stole control of Baldoni's film as a director and orchestrated an effort to destroy his career and reputation with what he's referring to as false allegations of sexual assault.

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Justin Baldoni is leaning on the ones closest to him amid the “It Ends With Us” drama. After the actor, 40, filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane and Sloane’s p.r. firm Vision PR Inc. for $400 million on Thursday, he revealed how he’s coping.

"It Ends with Us" director Justin Baldoni accused Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds of defamation, while Lively's team says his attack is "desperate."

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Justin Baldoni released a series of alleged texts from Blake Lively to back up his claim she used her power to seize control of It Ends With Us from him, In Touch can report. In Touch obtained the alleged text messages that Justin, 40, submitted as part of his $400 million lawsuit against the Gossip...

Justin Baldoni, director of It Ends With Us, sues co-star Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, sparking a major legal dispute.