Simon Afram, a relatively unknown Swiss producer, financed a $45 million World War II thriller titled *Fortitude* with his own funds, only for the project to become embroiled in legal and distribution turmoil. The film, which he wrote and produced, features Nicolas Cage, who worked on the film for approximately two weeks.
Afram’s entry into Hollywood was marked by an unconventional approach. Unlike typical new producers who seek experienced financiers or distribution partners to minimize risks, Afram chose to proceed without co-financiers or assured theatrical or streaming deals. He initially intended to secure high-profile stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino and even filed a lawsuit against Martin Scorsese during the film’s development, alleging Scorsese failed to fulfill a commitment to personally engage potential collaborators. Scorsese’s camp described Afram as a “novice filmmaker” with unrealistic expectations, and their dispute was ultimately settled in 2024.
*Fortitude* is based on real events surrounding British intelligence efforts to deceive Adolf Hitler about the D-Day invasion’s location. Afram partnered with LBI Entertainment in 2020, a management company known for representing actors such as DiCaprio and directors like Scorsese. Although Scorsese agreed in 2022 to executive produce the movie for $1 million, the final production was led by director Simon West, known for *Con Air* and *The Expendables 2*. The shooting faced challenges, including delayed payments to crew, layoffs during the six-week shoot, and equipment shortages that forced manual labor for some tasks.
The project’s troubles deepened in August when Afram filed a $105 million lawsuit against Netflix, accusing the streaming giant of breach of contract and negligence after a physical copy of *Fortitude* he supplied was allegedly stolen from Netflix’s offices. Netflix responded by accusing Afram’s legal team of extortion, igniting a rare and highly public dispute in Hollywood over content security and intellectual property.
The film has struggled to secure distribution; sources indicate at least three major companies declined to acquire it, citing the risk that the stolen copy might leak online. Despite this, Bianca Goodloe, one of the film’s executive producers, said the movie “absolutely will be released,” though she did not specify how or when.
Afram has denied many of the reported details, characterizing them as inaccurate or misleading. He did not provide further clarification when approached for additional comment. Beyond his involvement with *Fortitude*, Afram’s background remains obscure. Previously, he was a director of a now-defunct Swiss luxury goods company and was involved in a failed real estate development deal in Dubai in 2014. In 2017, Wynn Las Vegas obtained a default judgment against him over an unpaid $550,000 credit.
Despite the production setbacks and ongoing legal battles, Afram’s lawsuit argues that *Fortitude* could have at least broken even financially, estimating revenues of $12.5 million in a more typical release scenario. The future of the film remains uncertain amid the disputes and challenges in finding a distribution path.