Netflix is facing a $105 million lawsuit after a hard drive containing a copy of an unreleased Nicolas Cage film was allegedly stolen from its Los Angeles premises.
The producer’s claim
Producer Simon Afram and his company say a drive holding the World War II thriller Fortitude was delivered to Netflix for consideration. The lawsuit alleges that the device disappeared during a theft at the company’s Hollywood studio only days later.
The plaintiffs argue that the loss creates a serious piracy risk and damages the film’s market value. They say the project cost more than $45 million and took years to develop, with a cast that also includes Ben Kingsley, Michael Sheen and Matthew Goode.
Netflix disputes liability
Netflix does not own the rights to the movie and has denied that it is legally responsible for the loss. The company says the producer did not use appropriate industry security safeguards and says it has cooperated with an investigation while monitoring for piracy.
The competing claims remain allegations at this stage. A court will have to decide whether Netflix owed a duty to protect the drive and whether the alleged loss caused the financial damage claimed.
