Ben Affleck's gripping crime thriller, "Animals," is set to roar back to life, this time with a fresh face that's incredibly familiar to the filmmaker – none other than Affleck himself taking on a starring role. Originally, Matt Damon was slated to headline "Animals," with Affleck helming the project from the director's chair, during its initial production phase with Netflix and Artists Equity a year ago. However, the endeavor hit a roadblock due to scripting complications, which have now been cleared. Meanwhile, Damon embarked on a different journey, signing on to star in the modestly titled "The Odyssey," directed by the rising star Christopher Nolan. Principal photography for "Odyssey" is geared up to commence later this month, spanning various picturesque locales across the globe.
Revitalized, "Animals" resumes with Affleck still firmly planted in the director's seat, but now with an added twist – he'll also be donning the actor's cap. Joining him in this venture is Gillian Anderson, the "X-Files" icon who has more recently made waves as Margaret Thatcher in Netflix's "The Crown."
As envisioned before, the production aims to lens in Los Angeles, targeting an April commencement. Penned by Connor McIntyre with polishes by Billy Ray, this high-octane crime thriller revolves around a mayoral candidate and his wife whose son is cruelly abducted. Amidst a sea of adversaries, both political and otherwise, the desperate couple is left with no choice but to plunge into the murky depths of criminality to rescue their beloved child.
Affleck and Damon will produce through their Artists Equity banner, alongside Dani Bernfeld, while Brad Weston and Collin Creighton will contribute their prowess via their MakeReady production house. Fifth Season, formerly Endeavor Content, a production, sales, and distribution giant, will also lend its expertise to the project, which it developed in tandem with MakeReady. Michael Joe, Kevin Halloran, and Lucy Damon of Artists Equity, along with Fifth Season, will oversee as executive producers.
Affleck has proven his mettle in seamlessly juggling the roles of director and actor, having accomplished this with films like "The Town," "Argo" – which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2013 – and "Live by Night" in 2016. His last directorial effort was "Air" in 2023, where he played a supporting role opposite Damon. Affleck is represented by WME and Ziffren Brittenham.
Anderson, on the other hand, will soon steal the spotlight on the silver screen with "Tron: Ares," premiering on October 10, and is part of the ensemble cast of "The Abandons," a Kurt Sutter-helmed Western series on Netflix. She is represented by UTA and Independent Talent Group.
