Netflix is currently facing a lawsuit regarding an unreleased film titled "Fortitude," which features actor Nicolas Cage. The legal action follows an incident in June where a copy of the movie was allegedly stolen from the streaming giant's Los Angeles office.
According to the lawsuit, the filmmakers had been in discussions with Netflix since December regarding a potential purchase of the film. As part of the evaluation process, the company requested a working copy for internal testing. On June 15, a producer for the film delivered a drive containing the movie to the Netflix office. The lawsuit claims that the filmmakers explicitly instructed Netflix that the file was unencrypted and requested that it be deleted immediately after the screening and before the drive was returned. Ten days later, the company informed the filmmakers that the drive, along with several others, had been stolen.
In response to the allegations, Netflix released a statement questioning the security measures taken by the filmmakers regarding the copy of the movie. The lawsuit reportedly cites Sean Berney, the head of film acquisitions at Netflix, who described the incident as a "first" for the company, adding that their "piracy teams are on high alert" and actively monitoring the situation.
The film's producer, Afram, expressed his frustration in a statement on July 31. Having spent seven years developing "Fortitude," Afram emphasized that the work of the cast, crew, and the real-life survivors whose stories are depicted in the film "deserve to be seen and recognized." Afram's legal team added that they "believe that they have an obligation to the cast and crew of the 'Fortitude' film … to ensure that their rights are protected and that this film is given the recognition, respect, and accolades that it deserves." While legal representatives for the film's director, Simon West, and Nicolas Cage have been contacted for comment, no further details have been provided.
Directed by Simon West, known for his work on "The Expendables 2" and "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," "Fortitude" is based on what is described as the "greatest secret mission" of World War II. In addition to Nicolas Cage, the film stars Ed Skrein and Ron Perlman.
