The director of pop hit Thriller is suing Michael Jackson for his share of the profits.

Filmmaker John Landis, who co-wrote and directed the 1983 video, filed a breach of contract lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The action came just days before Broadway producers announced they had bought the rights to adapt the video for the stage.

The 14-minute Thriller video, featuring dancing zombies and Jackson himself, remains one of the most influential music videos worldwide.

Landis also made a documentary about the making of the video.

Landis said in his lawsuit that he had not received his 50 per cent share of the profits - including licensing rights - for at least the past four years from Jackson's now-defunct company Optimum Productions.

The lawsuit accuses Jackson, 50, of "fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct," claiming that Jackson had failed to produce full and proper accounts for the past four years "and earlier."

Jackson has led a low-profile life since his acquittal in 2005 of child sex abuse charges and his spokesman could not immediately be contacted for comment.

He is currently living in luxury rented accommodation in Los Angeles after spending time in Las Vegas, Ireland and Dubai in the past three years.

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