Filmmakers Sue Netflix for $105M Over Stolen Unreleased Nicolas Cage Film

In a California federal court, writer-producer Simon Afram and Op-Fortitude have filed a lawsuit against Netflix, seeking a minimum of $105 million. They allege that Netflix's negligence led to the theft of an unencrypted master copy of the World War II spy thriller 'Fortitude' from its Los Angeles office in June. Directed by Simon West and featuring Nicolas Cage, the film was being evaluated by Netflix, which showed interest in December 2025. On June 15, a producer submitted the unencrypted digital cinema package (DCP) with a directive to delete it post-screening. However, ten days later, Sean Berney from Netflix reported the theft. Netflix contests responsibility, stating the film was delivered without protections and describes Afram's $165 million demand as extortion. This incident threatens the film's release and awards campaign.