How far will parents go to save their child without wrecking everything they’ve built? Animals, a thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck, will land on Netflix on October 9, 2026. The film also features Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson and Steven Yeun.
Mark Kimball is a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose political rise rests on an apparently flawless family life. That image begins to crack when his son Denny is kidnapped. Mark and his wife Abigail must raise the ransom while making choices that could expose the secrets they’ve been hiding from one another.
The enigmatic Dayle, played by Gillian Anderson, makes it clear from the start that their son's survival hinges on them finally dropping the pretenses. The story knots the urgency of a kidnapping to the strains of a couple and the compromises demanded by a political career.
Ben Affleck returns behind the camera to the thriller territory after Argo and Live by Night. He co-writes the screenplay here with Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray. Filming took place in Los Angeles, a city whose political and social climate directly informs the story.
During a Bloomberg Screentime appearance, Ben Affleck revealed he used artificial intelligence for "a lot of things" during the making of Animals. The director, however, refuses to identify the elements involved, arguing that such an explanation would break the film's illusion. With no details on the tools and production steps used, it remains impossible to determine the concrete role AI plays in what is seen on screen.
Centered on the film's lead couple, the ensemble also features Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Ray Fisher, Matt Gerald and Christopher Woodley. With a runtime of 1 hour 48 minutes, the movie is produced in partnership with Artists Equity, the company founded by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Gerry Cardinale.
To discover the rest of this month’s new releases, check out our guide to Netflix October releases, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and today’s streaming picks: What to watch today on streaming.
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