Feb 06, 2025 01:26 PM IST
Ben Affleck steps into the lead role of Animals after Matt Damon exits due to scheduling conflicts, with Gillian Anderson set to co-star in the Netflix thriller
Hollywood actor-director Ben Affleck is set to take on the lead role in Animals, the upcoming Netflix thriller he was already lined up to direct. According to a report in the Entertainment Weekly, the role was initially meant for Matt Damon, who remains attached as a producer alongside Ben and Dani Bernfeld. However, Matt’s commitment to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey clashed with the production schedule for Animals, ultimately leading to Ben stepping in.
Gillian Anderson, best known for The X-Files, has been cast as the female lead. Meanwhile, it was previously noted that Ben’s ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, had been in discussions for a role. The film is said to revolve around a mayoral candidate and his wife, who are forced to deal with the kidnapping of their son. The screenplay is being written by Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray, whose past credits include Captain Phillips and The Hunger Games.
Ben is also set to reprise his role in The Accountant 2. Fans of his longstanding partnership with Matt need not be disappointed by the casting switch in Animals, as the duo are still slated to co-star in Netflix’s forthcoming crime thriller RIP, directed by Joe Carnahan, alongside Steven Yeun, Kyle Chandler, and Teyana Taylor.
Ben and Matt have enjoyed a successful creative partnership since winning an Academy Award for co-writing Good Will Hunting in 1998. Ben later transitioned into directing, making his debut with Gone Baby Gone in 2007, followed by The Town in 2010, which earned Jeremy Renner an Oscar nomination. His third directorial effort, Argo, won Best Picture at the 2013 Academy Awards, along with Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing. His later projects include Live by Night (2016) and Air (2023), the latter starring his close pal, Matt.
As for Gillian, she recently appeared in the 2024 dramas White Bird, Scoop, and The Salt Path. Her next major project will see her starring alongside Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, and Jodie Turner-Smith in Tron: Ares.
