Ben Affleck’s upcoming Netflix thriller Animals is shaping up to be a must-watch, with Kerry Washington, Ray Fisher, and Christopher Woodley attached to the project alongside Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Adriana Paz, and the recently cast Mark Kassen.
Filming is currently underway in Los Angeles, with the city playing a major role both on and off-screen. In the wake of the devastating wildfires that tore through the region earlier this year, the film’s producers are making it a point to keep jobs in the community, reinforcing L.A.’s status as a filmmaking hub.
The crime thriller, written by Connor McIntyre with revisions by Billy Ray, follows a mayoral candidate and his wife whose son is kidnapped. With enemies lurking at every turn—political and otherwise—the couple is forced to cross some dangerous lines to save their child.
Washington steps into the role of Affleck’s on-screen wife, while Anderson plays a fixer and Yeun takes on the role of his campaign manager—one he was originally tapped for in a previous iteration of the project.
Affleck not only stars as the candidate but also produces alongside longtime collaborator Matt Damon under their Artists Equity banner. Dani Bernfeld and Lucy Damon are also on board as producers, joined by Brad Weston and Collin Creighton of Makeready, who developed the project with Fifth Season. Executive producers include Artists Equity’s Michael Joe and Kevin Halloran, alongside Fifth Season.
For Fisher, Animals marks a reunion with Affleck after their time together in Justice League. He’s coming off a strong run with Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films and the critically acclaimed The Piano Lesson. Meanwhile, Woodley, who starred alongside Luke Evans and Billy Porter in Our Son, also made waves with his top-of-show guest star appearance on Law & Order: SVU.
Washington and Yeun are no strangers to Netflix either. Washington recently headlined Tyler Perry’s The Six Triple Eight, which pulled in a massive 52.4 million views in its first four weeks on the platform. She’s also set to appear in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the latest installment of Rian Johnson’s hit franchise.
Yeun, fresh off his Emmy-winning turn in Beef, is currently starring in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 alongside Robert Pattinson. He’s also reteaming with Affleck and Damon for RIP, another Artists Equity crime thriller directed by Joe Carnahan.
With production now rolling and a powerhouse cast locked in, Animals is shaping up to be one of Netflix’s most anticipated thrillers. After a year-long delay, the project is back on track and gearing up for an April start. And with its mix of high-stakes drama, political intrigue, and an A-list ensemble, this is one thriller that’s not just heating up—it’s about to explode onto the scene.
Stay tuned for more updates as Animals comes to life.