Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington are caught in a dangerous web of kidnapping, money and family secrets in “Animals,” a new political thriller coming to Netflix this fall.

Affleck stars as Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose carefully controlled life begins to collapse after his son is kidnapped. Washington plays his wife, Abigail, as the couple desperately tries to raise the ransom while facing choices that could destroy everything they have built.

The film arrives in select theaters and on Netflix on October 9, 2026.

A Kidnapping Turns Into a Much Bigger Crisis

The story begins when Mark receives a threatening phone call informing him that his son has been taken.

What initially appears to be a straightforward ransom situation quickly pulls Mark and Abigail into a deeper web of deception.

According to the official Netflix Tudum preview, the couple must find the money while making increasingly difficult decisions that threaten to expose secrets and tear their family apart.

The kidnapping therefore becomes more than a race to save their child. It also places Mark’s political career, marriage and public image under intense pressure.

Ben Affleck Directs and Stars

Affleck not only leads the cast but also directs and co-writes “Animals.”

The project gives him another opportunity to work behind the camera after films including “Argo” and “Air.”

This time, the story combines a family crisis with political ambition and the question of how far powerful people will go when their private lives are suddenly at risk.

Kerry Washington Joins a Strong Ensemble Cast

Washington plays Abigail, the other parent at the center of the kidnapping crisis.

The cast also includes Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Luis Gerardo Méndez and Adriana Paz, adding several recognizable names to the thriller.

The official Netflix listing describes “Animals” as a dark, suspenseful story built around politics, secrets and a family pushed to its breaking point.

“Animals” Arrives on Netflix October 9

“Animals” will premiere in select theaters and on Netflix on October 9, 2026.

With Ben Affleck directing himself opposite Kerry Washington, the movie appears designed as more than a kidnapping thriller. Its central crisis forces two parents to confront how much they are willing to sacrifice — and what hidden parts of their lives may be exposed along the way.