Billionaire filmmaker sues Netflix over alleged defamation in stolen movie case

Simon Afram, the writer, producer and financier of the unreleased Nicolas Cage war drama "Fortitude," has expanded his lawsuit against Netflix to include a defamation count. The new complaint alleges that Netflix’s press release accused the law firm representing Afram of attempting to extort $165 million, a claim Afram says is a deliberate falsehood. His original breach-of-contract action contends Netflix negligently allowed a master copy of the film to be stolen from its Hollywood headquarters after an associate producer delivered an unencrypted DCP for a screening.

Netflix has denied liability for the theft and rejected the extortion allegation, asserting it has a sophisticated legal team. Afram’s attorneys argue the defamatory statement was a calculated, not spontaneous, assertion by a large public company. No additional damages are sought at this stage; the total award will be decided at trial. The dispute involves high-profile talent and underscores concerns about media security and corporate communications.