Netflix has dropped the first trailer for Animals, a crime thriller starring Ben Affleck. Affleck has been a busy man in front of and behind the camera these past few years. His latest work was The Accountant 2 (2025), playing the role of Christian Wolff in the action thriller as well as being one of the producers of the film. He also directed Air (2023), and now he is back behind the camera, collaborating with Netflix and Artists Equity. 

Affleck co-wrote Animals' screenplay with Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray. The film is about Mark Kimball, a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles whose son is kidnapped. He and his wife have only a few hours to raise the ransom. With most of their money tied up in his campaign for office, the couple is forced to cross moral boundaries and face a darker side of their lives. 

Affleck also serves as a director on the film, which will first appear in limited theaters before coming to Netflix on October 9, 2026. The Batman actor heads a large ensemble cast that includes Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Ray Fisher, Matt Gerald, and Luis Gerardo Méndez. All that's left now is for the audience to anticipate the crime thriller, and with the trailer release as of August 12, fans are more than interested in the combination of characters Affleck is going to play with. 

Principal photography on Animals began in Los Angeles on March 7, 2025. Artists Equity, MakeReady, and Fifth Season are producing the project, with Affleck, Matt Damon, Brad Weston, Dani Bernfeld, and Colin Creighton serving as producers. Animals, with its kidnapping premise, political backdrop, and Affleck pulling double duty behind and in front of the camera, is shaping up to be a tense crime thriller.

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With Affleck putting his everything and a high-stakes kidnapping at its core, Animals is already drawing attention from the fans online. 

Fans took to the X post that announced the news and responded to it, with many intrigued by Ben Affleck’s dual role as director and actor. Some found the premise intense and are waiting for the storyline to take a wild turn. Additionally, some fans are eager to watch Affleck perform.  

“I always feel like Ben Affleck is playing Ben Affleck,” @MTGraveStudio commented. 

“Politicians already act like animals. Ben Affleck just made the documentary” said @OdenwaBTC. 

“The story looks good and it’s Ben Affleck,” wrote @just_henzo.  

The peculiar political crime premise of Animals has apparently captured the attention of fans. The movie is also getting attention because Affleck has built a strong reputation as a filmmaker and actor in crime thrillers. His choice to both direct and star has only increased anticipation, with early buzz indicating the Netflix release might be a tense, chaotic thriller packed with twists and high-stakes drama. 

“A mayoral candidate having to commit a crime while campaigning for office is already a messy setup. I’m interested,” wrote @codedlife2. 

“Interesting premise. Affleck + crime thriller vibes count me in for the October Netflix drop,” @wickspendd said. 

“Affleck back in the director’s chair — say less,” @Sire_Vikez commented. 

With its high-stakes kidnapping premise, political backdrop and Ben Affleck in the lead and directing, Animals is already generating considerable interest among fans. Early reactions suggest viewers are intrigued by the film's chaotic setup and Affleck's return to the crime-thriller genre. Thanks to a great ensemble cast and the backing of Netflix, Animals could be one of the most anticipated thriller releases of 2026.

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What do you think of the first trailer for Ben Affleck’s Animals? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.