'X-Men' Director Bryan Singer Accused of Drugging, Raping Teenage Boy

Bryan Singer, the director of the "X-Men" films and "The Usual Suspects," has been accused of drugging and raping a teenage boy in the late 1990s. 

A lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. court, weeks before the debut of Singer's film "X-Men: Days of Future Past," alleges that the 48-year-old used his Hollywood influence and drugs and alcohol to force a teenage boy to have oral and anal sex with him, Reuters reports. 

Michael Egan, who was then 17 years old, seeks damages and a jury trial. Egan alleges that the abuses happened at house parties in California and Hawaii, according to the suit. 

Singer's attorney, Marty Singer, said the lawsuit is "without merit" and "absurd."

"It is obvious that this case was filed in an attempt to get publicity at the time when Bryan's new movie is about to open in a few weeks," Singer added in the statement.

"X-Men: Days of Future Past" is opening in U.S. theaters on May 23, and is expected to be one of the top-grossing films of the year. 

Singer, who also directed "X-Men" in 2000 and its sequel, "X2" in 2003, signed on to direct the next film in the franchise, "X-Men: Apocalypse" for Fox. The next film is scheduled to be released in 2016. 

The suit also accuses Marc Collins-Rector, a former entertainment business executive and registered sex offender, of initiating the abuse by arranging Singer to meet Egan at parties in Encino, Calif. in 1998. 

"The parties were typically sordid and featured sexual contact between adult males and the many teenage boys who were present for the parties," the lawsuit said.

Egan, who is from Nevada, moved to the Los Angeles-area at the age of 14 or 15. He said he was paid around $1,500 per week by Collins-Rector's entertainment company. He also alleges that he was sent on private jets to "attractive locations."

Egan claims he was threatened by the men, who told him they "controlled Hollywood and would destroy his hopes and dreams of an acting career if he did not keep them happy."

Egan was flown to Hawaii on two week-long trips in 1999, where Singer allegedly provided Egan with drugs and alcohol, then assaulted him in non-consensual sexual acts. 

The lawsuit also claims that Singer promised Egan roles in "X-Men" movies and commercials.