Netflix Faces $105 Million Lawsuit Over Missing Cage WWII Film

WHO:

Coming Soon - Netflix, Nicolas Cage, the filmmaker, and his company are involved in the lawsuit.

WHAT:

Gizmodo - The lawsuit seeks at least $105 million in damages, arguing that the theft has jeopardized the future of the movie.

Gizmodo - The complaint states that Netflix was considering buying rights to the film and arranged to screen it on June 16.

Gizmodo - An associate producer delivered a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) to Netflix the day before the screening.

Gizmodo - The lawsuit argues that the theft has made Fortitude harder to sell because any potential buyer would have to consider the possibility that the movie could leak online.

Gizmodo - The lawsuit reads, "The Film’s value depended in significant part on its exclusivity as an unreleased, first-to-market work."

Fox Business - The film "Fortitude" is based on the real-life World War II Operation Fortitude, a massive Allied deception campaign designed to convince Nazi Germany that the D-Day invasion would occur elsewhere.

Fox Business - The plaintiffs accused Netflix of covering up the security breach and claimed that Netflix's content security team is actively monitoring piracy websites for unauthorized copies of the film.

Fox Business - Netflix stated that it has found no evidence that "Fortitude" has been leaked.

Fox Business - The lawsuit claims that the incident caused devastating financial losses by compromising the film's first-to-market exclusivity and distribution value, forcing the plaintiffs to temporarily pause marketing and sales efforts ahead of awards season.

Fox Business - The complaint states that test screenings projected an 82% "top-two box" audience score, indicating that 82% of viewers rated the film among the two highest categories.

Fox Business - The plaintiffs conservatively estimated that the movie would generate at least $112.5 million in revenue, roughly 2.5 times its production budget.

Fox Business - The unencrypted digital master drive was delivered to Netflix's Hollywood studio on June 15, 2026, and the screening was held on June 16, 2026.

Fox Business - The plaintiffs allege that Netflix left the unencrypted file unattended on an office desk without basic physical or digital security controls, where it later disappeared.

Fox Business - The lawsuit alleges that Netflix concealed the breach by postponing or ignoring requests from the plaintiffs to arrange pickup of the drive between June 17 and June 25, 2026.

Fox Business - The plaintiffs stated that it was not until June 25, 2026, that a Netflix executive emailed them stating that "someone stole a good amount of drives from our office desks this past week."

Fox Business - The lawsuit claims Netflix offered to reimburse only the cost of the physical drive and referred to the asset as "missing" rather than "stolen."

Fox Business - Netflix stated that it withheld details of its investigation due to the plaintiffs' conduct, claiming they initially demanded $165 million for the film rather than work with the company.

Variety - The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Rolling Stone TV Movies - The film "Fortitude" is described as being "tonally in the vein of Ocean's 11 or Inglourious Basterds."

Variety - The producer, Simon Afram, claims to have spent $45 million on the film "Fortitude" over a span of seven years.

CBS News Entertainment - The lawsuit alleges that the hard drive containing the film was "stolen right off a Netflix desk."

Coming Soon - Netflix is being sued for $105 million following the theft of an unreleased movie titled "Fortitude."

Reddit Movies - The hard drive containing the unreleased Nicolas Cage movie was stolen from Netflix’s office.

WHERE:

Coming Soon - The theft occurred at Netflix’s office in Los Angeles.

WHY:

Gizmodo - The plaintiffs are accusing Netflix of breach of an implied contract.

Fox Business - Netflix claimed that the plaintiffs initially demanded $165 million for the film rather than work with the company in good faith.

Deadline - The producer claims Netflix is liable for the theft because the hard drive was delivered for screening and potential purchase.

Deadline - The lawsuit claims Netflix is responsible for the theft because the hard drive was delivered to their headquarters for screening and possible purchase.

Coming Soon - The lawsuit was filed due to the unprecedented theft of the unreleased film.

HOW:

Gizmodo - Netflix stated it has taken extra measures to support the filmmaker and his team, including a thorough investigation and an offer to monitor piracy sites for unauthorized distribution or sale of the movie.

Fox Business - The plaintiffs filed their own report with the Los Angeles Police Department regarding the theft.

Reddit Movies - The method of theft involved the stealing of a hard drive containing the film.

(UPDATED July 31, 2026 19:23 UTC)

A lawsuit has been filed seeking at least $105 million in damages, claiming that the theft of a film has jeopardized its future and made it harder to sell. The complaint alleges that Netflix was in talks to acquire the rights and had arranged a screening for June 16, with a Digital Cinema Package delivered just a day prior. In response, Netflix has stated that it is supporting the filmmaker by conducting a thorough investigation and monitoring piracy sites to prevent unauthorized distribution of the movie.

(UPDATED July 31, 2026 13:30 UTC)

The film "Fortitude," inspired by the real-life World War II Operation Fortitude, tells the story of a major Allied deception campaign aimed at misleading Nazi Germany about the D-Day invasion. In a legal dispute, plaintiffs have accused Netflix of covering up a security breach and initially demanded $165 million for the film instead of cooperating with the company. Netflix has responded by stating that it found no evidence of the film being leaked, while the plaintiffs have also filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department concerning the theft.

(UPDATED July 31, 2026 10:53 UTC)

A lawsuit has been filed against Netflix, claiming that the company caused significant financial losses by mishandling an unencrypted digital master drive for a film, which was left unattended and later disappeared. The plaintiffs allege that Netflix ignored their requests for the drive's pickup and only informed them of the theft on June 25, stating that "someone stole a good amount of drives from our office desks this past week." They estimate that the film could have generated at least $112.5 million in revenue, based on strong test screenings that showed an 82% audience score, but Netflix has only offered to reimburse the cost of the physical drive, referring to it as "missing."

(UPDATED July 31, 2026 07:53 UTC)

A lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, with the producer alleging that Netflix is liable for theft related to a hard drive that was delivered for screening and potential purchase. Meanwhile, the film "Fortitude" is being described as tonally similar to popular titles like Ocean's 11 and Inglourious Basterds. This legal action and the film's intriguing comparisons are making headlines in the entertainment world.

(UPDATED July 30, 2026 23:20 UTC)

A lawsuit has been filed alleging that a hard drive containing the film "Fortitude," produced by Simon Afram at a cost of $45 million over seven years, was stolen directly from a Netflix desk. The lawsuit claims that Netflix is responsible for the theft since the hard drive was delivered to their headquarters for screening and potential purchase. This situation has raised significant concerns about security and accountability in the film industry.

(UPDATED July 30, 2026 22:27 UTC)

Netflix is facing a lawsuit for $105 million after a hard drive containing an unreleased Nicolas Cage movie titled "Fortitude" was stolen from its office in Los Angeles. The lawsuit stems from what is described as an unprecedented theft of the film, involving the theft of the hard drive itself. Nicolas Cage and his filmmaking company are also involved in this legal action against Netflix.