Ben Affleck has released the teaser for his next directorial, Animals, which sees him return to the chair after three years. Affleck last made the sports drama, Air, which starred his producing partner and childhood friend, Matt Damon. Affleck also stars in the upcoming movie, along with Steven Yeun, Gillian Anderson, and Kerry Washington.
The upcoming movie will release on Netflix and select theaters on October 9, with the film being part of an ongoing deal with Affleck and Damon’s Artists Equity and Netflix.
Ben Affleck Debuts a Unique Teaser for His Directorial Comeback
Kerry Washington and Ben Affleck in Animals | Credits: Netflix
Ben Affleck has been directing since 2007, with his debut being the crime drama Gone Baby Gone, starring his brother Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman, and Michelle Monaghan. The actor has since made The Town, the Best Picture-winning drama Argo, Live By Night, and Air. The upcoming film, Animals, will be his sixth directorial effort.
The teaser that was dropped by Netflix opens with the sound of a phone vibrating, which sustains throughout the teaser, indicating its importance in the plot. Actors like Kerry Washington and Steven Yeun make appearances, and a political thriller is promised. Elements of crime and a ransom are also implied in the teaser.
According to Deadline, the film revolves around a mayoral candidate whose son gets kidnapped, and he has to get his hands dirty to pay the ransom. It is described as a tight kidnapping thriller, with plenty of political enemies surrounding the main characters, played by Affleck and Kerry Washington.
Animals is written by Connor O. McIntyre, Billy Ray (known for the Hunger Games films, Richard Jewell, and Captain Phillips), and Affleck himself. Ben Affleck also produces the film along with Matt Damon, Brad Weston, Dani Bernfeld, and Collin Creighton.
Matt Damon Dropped Out of Ben Affleck’s Animals for The Odyssey
Matt Damon in The Odyssey | Credits: Universal Pictures
Ben Affleck has not directed since Air, which starred Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, and Affleck as Phil Knight. The actor was reportedly set to direct Animals with Damon starring, but delays in the production led the actor to work on The Accountant 2 and Damon to head for The Odyssey. This led to Affleck taking on the starring role himself (via Deadline). The duo recently starred in Netflix’s The Rip.
Damon might not have missed out on anything, though, as The Odyssey surpassed $1 billion at the box office within barely a month after release. It broke several records for director Christopher Nolan, making it his first movie since The Dark Knight Rises to surpass $1 billion. It was also one of the most anticipated movies of the year.
Compared to The Odyssey, Ben Affleck’s thriller seems to be a more mid-budget, small-scale thriller, which is seeing a simultaneous theatrical and streaming release on Netflix on October 9. This seems to be the exact opposite kind of affair from Nolan’s IMAX experience. However, the teaser promises an edge-of-the-seat thriller.
What do you think about Ben Affleck’s Animals? Comment below.
Animals is set to release on Netflix and in theaters on October 9, 2026.
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