Ben Affleck to Direct Matt Damon in Netflix’s Crime Thriller ‘Animals’

Ben Affleck will be directing best friend and longtime collaborator Matt Damon once more, this time for Netflix noir film “Animals.”

Affleck recently directed (and co-starred alongside) Damon for Nike/Michael Jordan biopic “Air.” Now, the secretive Netflix production which has been known under titles like “The Animals of Los Angeles” and “Be Gentlemen,” is officially announced as “Animals.”

Affleck and Damon’s joint Artists Equity production company is behind the film, which is set to begin filming in March 2024 in Los Angeles.

“Animals” is written by Connor McIntyre, with revisions by Billy Ray. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the thriller centers around a mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. The candidate and his wife opt to find out the truth for themselves.

“Animals” will be produced by Affleck, Damon, and Dani Bernfeld of Artists Equity, the artist-led studio founded by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Gerry Cardinale/RedBird Capital Partners. Brad Weston and Collin Creighton of MAKEREADY, who developed the project in partnership with Fifth Season (formerly known as Endeavor Content), also produce.

Artists Equity’s Michael Joe and Kevin Halloran will serve as executive producers alongside Fifth Season.

While Affleck is not announced as starring in “Animals,” he does appear in wife Jennifer Lopez’s musical film “This Is Me…Now.” Lopez is also set to lead “Unstoppable,” which is additionally