LOS ANGELES (AP):Actor Bruce Willis has filed a countersuit against a team of movie producers who had earlier accused him of breach of contract for backing out of his role as director of a film project.

Willis alleges in his complaint filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court that the producers of the film Three Stories About Joan failed to demonstrate they had full funding for the project by an agreed-upon deadline.

Willis seeks US$8.7 million in compensatory damages against some two dozen defendants.

The producers sued Willis and his production last week for US$4 million. They alleged Willis quit as director of the film without notice in violation of his contract.