Director, co-writer, and star Ben Affleck took an unconventional route while preparing his upcoming Netflix crime thriller, Animals. Instead of locking down a finished screenplay before cameras rolled, Affleck and lead actress Kerry Washington utilized a collaborative rehearsal process. This approach involved contributions from the entire main ensemble.
Scheduled for release on October 9, 2026, the R-rated feature centers on Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball, played by Affleck, and his wife Abigail, portrayed by Washington. Their lives are upended when their son is kidnapped. This forces the couple into a high-stakes ransom situation that threatens to expose long-held secrets.
An Old-School Theater Approach to Scriptwriting
According to Kerry Washington, the creative environment on the set felt like live theater. Dialogue and scenes shifted organically once the actors stepped into the room.
“Honestly, everybody was so collaborative. Like Ben, really, we had a rehearsal process where we all worked together on the script, and there’s not a single actor in it who hasn’t contributed,” Washington shared in interviews detailing the production.
The collaborative effort extended across the entire supporting cast. Cast members Luis Gerardo Méndez and Adriana Paz reportedly wrote their own scenes completely. Washington, Steven Yeun, and Affleck personally workshopped shared moments together. Affleck noted that Washington brought so much emotional depth to the dynamic between Mark and Abigail that he ultimately viewed her as a co-director on their shared scenes.
From Matt Damon and Jennifer Garner to Affleck and Washington
The path to the final version of Animals involved significant behind-the-scenes casting changes. Originally, the script-co-written by Affleck, Connor McIntyre, and Billy Ray-was set to star Affleck’s real-life best friend, Matt Damon, as Mark Kimball. Affleck initially cast his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, to play Abigail, citing practical scheduling benefits that would help them coordinate time with their children.
However, pre-production delays derailed those initial plans. Production was pushed back due to scheduling conflicts and the arrival of a thematically similar Denzel Washington and Spike Lee project filming nearby. By the time production resumed, Damon had committed to starring in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster epic, The Odyssey, leaving the lead role vacant.
Affleck decided to step into the role of Mark Kimball himself. This change meant that Affleck and Garner would have portrayed a deteriorating married couple on screen. Ultimately, the former couple mutually agreed that their well-documented real-life history would introduce unnecessary external baggage for the audience.
“I talked to Jen, and she was like, ‘We don’t wanna do that. You just get baggage,'” Affleck explained. “I would love to work with her, frankly. She’s fabulous, and we’re really good friends… but what you don’t wanna do is take the audience’s baggage and have it work against you.”
A Fresh Dynamic and Star-Studded Ensemble
Garner’s departure cleared the way for Kerry Washington to join the project. The addition of Washington, alongside Affleck stepping into the lead role, allowed the filmmakers to reshape the core relationship fundamentally. They incorporated their identities as an interracial couple and added new thematic layers regarding marriage, honesty, and vulnerability.
Alongside Affleck and Washington, the stacked ensemble cast for Animals features Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Méndez, and Ray Fisher. With the script evolving right up until and during principal photography, audiences will soon see how these unscripted, rehearsal-led revisions translate to the screen when Animals debuts globally on Netflix.
Frequently Asked Questions About Netflix’s Animals
When is the release date for Netflix’s Animals?
Animals is scheduled for release on Netflix on October 9, 2026.
Who directs and stars in Animals?
Ben Affleck serves as the director, producer, co-writer, and lead actor of the film, starring alongside Kerry Washington.
Who else is in the cast of Animals?
The main ensemble features Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Méndez, and Ray Fisher.
Who was originally supposed to star in the movie?
Matt Damon and Jennifer Garner were originally attached to star as the lead couple, Mark and Abigail Kimball, before scheduling conflicts and creative adjustments led to recasting.
What is the plot of Animals?
The thriller follows a Los Angeles mayoral candidate and his wife whose son is kidnapped, plunging them into a desperate ransom plot that forces them to confront dangerous secrets.
