Archive · 31 Jul 2026
Netflix Faces $105M Lawsuit Over Stolen 'Fortitude' Drive
A movie called "Fortitude" was made by Simon Afram and stars Nicolas Cage.
He gave a copy of the film to Netflix so they could decide if they wanted to show it.
The copy was on a hard drive that was left on a desk and was stolen.
Afram says Netflix didn’t keep the drive safe and that the theft hurt the film’s chances of making money.
He is suing Netflix for $105 million.
Netflix says the drive was not protected and that they aren’t responsible.
They are looking into what happened and watching for any leaked copies online.
The case is about who should pay for the loss and how the film can still be sold.
Producer Simon Afram sues Netflix for $105 million after an unencrypted hard drive with the unreleased film "Fortitude" was stolen from Netflix’s Los Angeles office.
Afram invested over $45 million and spent seven years producing the World War II spy thriller starring Nicolas Cage.
Netflix claims it had no responsibility because the drive was unencrypted and delivered without industry‑standard safeguards.
The theft allegedly jeopardized the film’s commercial value and potential distribution, as the copy could be leaked or sold.
Netflix has conducted an internal investigation, offered to monitor piracy sites, but declined to share details with Afram’s lawyers.
- Who
- Producer Simon Afram and Netflix
- What
- Lawsuit over stolen hard drive containing unreleased film 'Fortitude'
- When
- Filed July 31, 2026; theft reported June 25, 2026
- Where
- Netflix’s Los Angeles office (Sunset Bronson Studios)
- Why
- Alleged negligence in securing the drive jeopardized the film’s value and distribution
- Plaintiff
- Simon Afram / Op-Fortitude Limited
- Defendant
- Netflix
- Damages sought
- $105 million
- Film title
- Fortitude
- Production cost
- $45 million
- Film genre
- World War II spy thriller
- Stolen drive status
- Unencrypted DCP
- Date of theft report
- June 25, 2026
Sources
Producer Claims Stolen Hard Drive Has 'Destroyed' Nicolas Cage Film, Sues Netflix For $105 Million
Nicolas Cage’s unreleased film ‘Fortitude’ vanishes from Netflix office, sparks $105m lawsuit
Producer Sues Netflix Over Theft Of Hard Drive Of 'Fortitude'
Why Netflix is facing a £79m lawsuit over Nicolas Cage's unreleased war thriller
