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.

A legal expert tells Page Six Baldoni’s team likely chose that massive amount to message he “will fight to the death to defend his name and bring Lively and Reynolds down.”

Blake Lively demanded a federal judge stop Justin Baldoni from launching a website with “all correspondence” as part of his effort to defend himself against her claims of sexual harassment, In Touch can exclusively report.