Netflix is facing a $105 million lawsuit over a lost Nicolas Cage movie, Fortitude, a World War II thriller that was supposed to be a $45 million passion project. The film’s producer, Simon Afram, claims that Netflix lost an unencrypted master copy of the movie after it was delivered to the company’s Hollywood offices for a private screening.
The missing copy has significantly harmed the film’s commercial prospects, as potential distributors are hesitant to acquire a project that could be leaked online at any time. Netflix disputes the claims, arguing that the filmmakers failed to follow industry-standard security practices when they submitted the film.
Netflix first showed interest in Fortitude in late 2025, after receiving promotional materials and later requesting a working cut for review. In June, associate producer Daniel Haido personally delivered an unencrypted Digital Cinema Package (DCP) to Netflix’s offices at Sunset Bronson Studios in Los Angeles.
According to the lawsuit, Netflix staff were instructed to delete the files after the screening and notify the filmmakers when the hard drive was ready for collection. However, Haido’s requests to retrieve the drive reportedly went unanswered for more than a week.
When Netflix’s director of original film, Sean Berney, finally replied, he revealed that several hard drives had been stolen from employees’ desks, including the one containing Fortitude. “This is a first for us,” Berney wrote in an email included in the lawsuit. “Someone stole a good amount of drives from our office desks this past week,” he added, saying Netflix’s security team had been unable to locate the missing items.
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The loss of the unencrypted master copy of Fortitude has significant consequences for the film’s commercial prospects. The film’s producers are now seeking $105 million in damages from Netflix, claiming that the company’s negligence has harmed the film’s chances of being distributed.
The film’s value is clear.
The lawsuit highlights the importance of security measures in the film industry and the potential consequences of negligence when handling valuable intellectual property. Netflix’s security practices have been called into question by the lawsuit, with the filmmakers alleging that the company failed to follow industry-standard security protocols.
Netflix has disputed the claims made in the lawsuit, arguing that the filmmakers failed to follow industry-standard security practices when they submitted the film. The company’s argument has been disputed by the producers, who claim that Netflix was responsible for the safekeeping of the film.
The lawsuit is ongoing.
The case has significant implications for the film industry. It points to the need for strict security protocols when handling sensitive and valuable material, such as a film deal or a movie’s master copy.
