Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington Face Every Parent’s Worst Nightmare in Netflix’s Chilling New Thriller — And the First Trailer Barely Says a Word A peaceful family life shatters with one terrifying phone call when their son suddenly disappears. What follows pulls two desperate parents into a dangerous web of ransom demands, deception and impossible choices that could destroy everything they’re trying to save. With Affleck directing and starring alongside Washington, Steven Yeun and Gillian Anderson, Animals looks like a tense, nerve-shredding thriller where nobody can be trusted.

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Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington Are Desperate to Save Their Kidnapped Son in Hair-Raising First Trailer for Animals

Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington are living a parent’s worst nightmare in their new thriller.

Animals (premiering in select theaters and on Netflix on Oct. 9) sees Affleck, 53, back in acting, directing and writing mode for the first time since 2023 biopic Air.

Netflix has released a first look at Animals in the form of an eerie teaser trailer. Entirely without dialogue, it offers glimpses of a politician (Affleck) and his wife (Washington, 49) and their life of contentment with their son (Christopher Woodley).

Ben Affleck as Mark and Gillian Anderson as Dayle in Animals.
Ben Affleck as Mark and Gillian Anderson as Dayle in Animals.Warrick Page/Netflix

Then, a ringing phone begins building suspense. The trailer shows the parents reacting to apparent news that their son has been kidnapped. Also seen are Steven Yeun, seemingly as an assistant to Affleck’s character, and Gillian Anderson, who appears to be involved in the ensuing investigation.

“When their son is kidnapped, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate and his wife find themselves drawn into a web of deception,” reads an official synopsis for Animals. “As they scramble to raise the ransom payment, they’re forced to make choices that could tear their world apart.”

Affleck, in addition to directing and starring in Animals, co-wrote its script alongside Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray. The Oscar winner is also on the producing team alongside longtime friend and partner Matt Damon and the latter’s wife, film producer Luciana Damon.

Kerry Washington as Abigail and Christopher Woodley as Denny in Animals
Kerry Washington as Abigail and Christopher Woodley as Denny in Animals.Warrick Page/Netflix

The new movie is the latest from Damon, 55, and Affleck’s production company Artists Equity. It continues the duo’s ongoing work with Netflix following last January’s thriller The Rip, which starred the two actor-producers and Yeun. Artists Equity was also behind 2025’s The Accountant 2 and The Kiss of the Spider Woman.

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Animals, also starring Adriana Paz, Ray Fisher, Matt Gerald, Jacob Estrada and Luis Gerardo Méndez, is in select theaters and on Netflix on Oct. 9.