Producer Sergei Bespalov is suing Robert Rodriguez, accusing the director of causing production delays that led to $20 million in cost overruns on the 2014 film Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

The suit, filed Monday in California Superior Court, alleges a “pattern of misbehavior” that resulted in the film running over budget, and damaged its financial prospects. (Read it here)

“When the dust settled, SC2 Productions ended up financing almost $15 million in cost overruns over the approved budget Rodriguez had agreed to, and was obligated to, work within when filming Sin City 2,” the suit contends. “SC2 Productions should not have to shoulder the costs of Rodriguez’s false representations, failure to perform and many egregious breaches of various contracts related to the film.”

The Sin City sequel, starring Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba, brought in just $39.4 million in worldwide box office proceeds, well short of its $65 million budget, according to IMDBPro.

The suit claims Aldamisa Entertainment didn’t make money on the film. Bespalov said he brought in outside investors, including Merkel Business Overseas, which now claims the producer owes it $10 million on the film.

Bespalov and Aldamisa Entertainment accuse Rodriguez and his corporate entities, Fifth Brain and El Chingon Productions, of breach of contract, bad faith and false representation (for allegedly failing to secure a deferred service agreement with a special effects company willing to work on the production for less than $10 million) and misrepresentation.

The producer is asking that Rodriguez and the various production entities be held liable for any damages Merkel wins in court, plus legal fees that Bespalov incurs defending himself against the suit.

Rodriguez could not immediately be reached for comment.