Netflix has been sued after an unencrypted drive containing an unreleased Nicolas Cage film, Fortitude, was allegedly stolen from its offices. The film’s financier, Simon Afram, and production company Op-Fortitude argue that Netflix failed to protect and promptly return the screener, potentially jeopardising its release strategy and increasing piracy risks.

Afram personally invested $45 million in the Second World War spy thriller, which stars Cage and Sir Ben Kingsley and took seven years to produce. The claim seeks at least $112.5 million plus other damages, while Netflix denies liability, says the drive was supplied without industry-standard encryption, and maintains there is no evidence the film has leaked.