Ben Affleck Wrote, Directed, and Starred in 'Animals' — And Almost Cast His Ex Jennifer Garner

Ben Affleck Goes Full Triple-Threat With Netflix Thriller Animals

If you thought Ben Affleck was done surprising us, think again. The man just quietly dropped one of the most anticipated Netflix movies of fall 2026 — and the behind-the-scenes story is almost as wild as the film itself.

Animals, premiering October 9 on Netflix, is a crime thriller that Affleck co-wrote with Billy Ray and Connor O. McIntyre, directed himself, and stars in as the lead. He plays Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose seemingly perfect political life unravels when his son Denny (played by Christopher Woodley) is kidnapped. With only hours to gather the ransom, Mark and his wife Abigail — played brilliantly by Kerry Washington — are forced to confront secrets they've spent years burying.

The Jennifer Garner Twist Nobody Saw Coming

Here's where it gets interesting. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Affleck revealed that he originally cast his ex-wife Jennifer Garner as Abigail. His reasoning was surprisingly practical — they share custody of their kids, so coordinating shooting schedules would've been easier. Plus, he genuinely believed Garner could bring something audiences hadn't seen from her before.

But there's more. Matt Damon was initially attached to play Mark Kimball. When a similar kidnapping thriller — Spike Lee's A24 film Highest 2 Lowest — emerged as competition, Affleck shelved the project two weeks before shooting. Months later, when his passion reignited, Damon had already committed to working with Christopher Nolan on Odyssey. So Affleck stepped in front of the camera himself.

As for Garner? She gracefully bowed out. "We don't wanna do that. You just get baggage," she told him. Affleck agreed, noting that audiences' real-life associations could work against the film's story. Enter Kerry Washington, whom Affleck met during the 2023 Hollywood strikes and immediately recognized as perfect for the role.

Gillian Anderson and a Powerhouse Cast

Rounding out the cast is Gillian Anderson as Dayle, a mysterious fixer who pushes Mark and Abigail to their absolute limits. The film runs a tight 1 hour 46 minutes and is produced through Artists Equity, the production company Affleck co-founded with Matt Damon and Gerry Cardinale.

At its core, Animals isn't just a kidnapping thriller — it uses the crisis to dissect marriage, morality, and the lengths people will go to protect what they love (or protect themselves). Think Gone Girl energy meets political intrigue, with Affleck proving once again that he's a seriously underrated director.

Should You Watch It?

With a cast featuring Ben Affleck, Kerry Washington, and Gillian Anderson, a script co-written by Billy Ray (the guy behind Captain Phillips and Shattered Glass), and Affleck behind the camera delivering dark, character-driven tension — yes. Animals is shaping up to be one of the must-watch films this October.

Mark your calendar: October 9, 2026. Only on Netflix.