Harvey Weinstein is suing his former studio to gain access to his emails that he believes contain information "exonerating" him from claims of sexual harassment and assault.

The disgraced movie mogul lodged the lawsuit against The Weinstein Company (TWC), which he co-founded with his younger brother, to help defend himself against civil and criminal allegations.

The studio sacked the Oscar winner after a series of sexual assault and abuse allegations mounted against him and Weinstein now claims it is withholding his company emails and personal file.

The lawsuit filed in Delaware on Thursday is demanding access to the documents, and suggests he could use them to fight a wrongful termination case or another legal battle with the studio.

"Mr Weinstein believes that his email account - which is the primary, if not only, account he used during the term of his employment by the company - will contain information exonerating him, and therefore the company, from claims that may be asserted against him or the company," it says.