Ben Affleck directs and stars opposite Kerry Washington in a tense story about a family pushed to the edge.
Ben Affleck is back behind the camera. His new thriller Animals arrives on Netflix and in select theaters today, October 9, with Affleck directing, co-writing and starring in the lead role.
The film follows a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose life falls apart when his son is kidnapped. With the campaign in full swing, he and his wife are forced to raise a ransom while long-buried secrets begin to surface.
Affleck plays Mark Kimball, the candidate, while Kerry Washington plays his wife, Abigail. The film marks Washington’s first time working with Affleck as a director.
Animals Netflix Cast and Story
The cast also includes Gillian Anderson as a high-powered fixer, Steven Yeun as Mark’s campaign manager, and Christopher Woodley as the couple’s son, Denny. Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Méndez and Ray Fisher round out the ensemble.
Affleck has described the film as a story about marriage and how a relationship holds up when two people are forced into impossible choices. Los Angeles plays a central role, with the city serving as both the backdrop and the stage for Mark’s mayoral campaign.
Affleck wrote the screenplay with Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray. The film runs for one hour and 45 minutes and carries an R rating.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Behind Animals
Animals is produced by Artists Equity, the company Affleck co-founded with Matt Damon, together with Fifth Season. Damon is also among the producers and attended the film’s Los Angeles premiere alongside Affleck and Washington.
The project has changed shape since it was first announced in 2024. Damon was originally attached to the lead role but stepped away because of his commitment to The Odyssey, and Affleck took on the part himself.
Animals is Affleck’s latest film as a director, following earlier crime dramas such as Gone Baby Gone and The Town, as well as Argo, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
