Pictures: BackGrid
Filming has been underway for the past month on one of two upcoming Netflix Original films headlined by Ben Affleck and produced by Artists Equity, his joint production company with Matt Damon. Today, we’ve got a fresh look at the film in action thanks to new stills and on-set video from a major sequence shot inside Los Angeles’ iconic storm drain system.
In today’s shoot, several intense scenes were filmed featuring gunfire and dramatic chases, suggesting this is one of the film’s climactic sequences. Affleck was spotted front and center, wearing jeans, a black coat, and occasionally seen with a cigarette in hand, carrying a duffel bag through the storm tunnels. Luis Gerardo Méndez was also present, standing out with bright blue jeans, a striped collared shirt, and a bronze belt buckle.
As a reminder, the crime thriller’s official logline reads:
“When the son of L.A. Mayoral Candidate Milo Bradford (Affleck) is kidnapped, he and his wife (Washington) have just hours to come up with the ransom. With their finances drained by the campaign trail, they’re forced to take matters into their own hands—exposing a side of themselves they never intended to see the light of day. Anderson plays a fixer, while Yeun stars as the candidate’s campaign manager.”
Additionally, a stunt double for Gillian Anderson‘s character—reportedly played by actress Helena Barrett—was seen on set. Several images suggest a significant twist for her character, who appears to be lying on the ground during one of the scenes.
The ensemble cast for the film includes Ray Fisher, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Mark Kassen, and Kerry Washington.
Filming began in early March 2025 and is taking place entirely in and around Los Angeles. According to production listings, cameras are expected to stop rolling on April 16th, 2025. The project has been operating under two working titles: BE GENTLEMEN and ANIMALS OF LOS ANGELES.
Animals will mark Ben Affleck’s fourth Netflix project following his roles in Triple Frontier (rumored to be getting a sequel), The Last Thing He Wanted, and RIP, the latter of which is set to debut on Netflix in Fall 2025. Both RIP and Animals are being produced by Artists Equity, the banner he co-runs with Damon.
Scroll down for more exclusive first-look images from the set. Fair warning, though, as we’ve already covered, some may contain spoilers!
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
Picture: Backgrid
There’s no release date just yet, although our best guess is sometime in 2026. Are you looking forward to Animals on Netflix? Let us know in the comments down below.
