Netflix has released the official teaser for Animals, a tense new political thriller directed by, co-written by, and starring Ben Affleck. The film pairs Affleck with Kerry Washington as a married couple whose carefully constructed life begins unraveling after their son is kidnapped and a desperate race to secure his ransom begins.
Animals arrives in select theaters and on Netflix on October 9, 2026.
Watch the Animals Official Teaser
The teaser introduces Affleck as Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose political ambitions suddenly become insignificant when he receives an ominous phone call. Mark and his wife, Abigail (Washington), are forced into a desperate situation as they attempt to raise the ransom needed to save their son.
Netflix describes the story as a web of deception in which the couple’s increasingly difficult choices threaten to tear apart the life they’ve built together. That setup gives Animals more to play with than a straightforward kidnapping thriller, particularly with Mark’s political career potentially providing another layer of secrets, enemies, and motivations surrounding the crime.
Ben Affleck Returns Behind the Camera
Affleck directs Animals and co-wrote the screenplay, marking another turn behind the camera for the filmmaker behind Argo. The Los Angeles setting also plays an important role in the film, with production taking place throughout the city.
Alongside Affleck and Washington, Animals stars Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Ray Fisher, Mark Kassen, and Christopher Woodley.
The combination is particularly intriguing. Affleck has repeatedly shown an affinity for morally complicated thrillers, and the teaser suggests Animals will lean into that territory as the Kimballs are pushed toward increasingly difficult decisions.
When Does Animals Premiere?
Animals opens in select theaters and begins streaming on Netflix October 9, 2026. The thriller has a runtime of approximately 1 hour and 46 minutes.
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