Netflix Sued for $105M Over Stolen Nicolas Cage Film Master

The dispute centers on a digital cinema package delivered to Netflix on June 15 for a potential acquisition review. Ten days later, Netflix Original Film director Sean Berney notified the production team that the drive had been stolen from an office desk. In an email cited in the court filing, Berney admitted the theft was a first for the office and noted that security teams had been unable to recover the missing hardware, suggesting the thieves likely intended to sell the drives for scrap metal.

Afram’s legal team contends that Netflix withheld news of the theft for a week and failed to provide adequate security for the high-value asset. While Netflix offered to create a replacement master or reimburse the cost of the drive, the plaintiffs argue this response ignores the project's massive production budget and its estimated market potential. The lawsuit, filed in California’s Central District, claims the film’s value reaches $112.5 million based on industry projections.

Netflix has rejected liability, stating the film was delivered without industry-standard security protocols. The company characterized the legal action as an extortion attempt, noting that the plaintiffs initially demanded $165 million. The thriller, directed by Simon West and featuring Ben Kingsley and Ron Perlman, remains a point of contention as the court weighs whether the streaming giant is responsible for the alleged loss of the film’s commercial future.