Ben Affleck has replaced Matt Damon in their new Netflix crime thriller. Friends since childhood, Damon and Affleck have collaborated on various projects throughout their careers. Since co-founding their own production company, Artists Equity, in 2022, they have starred alongside each other in 2023’s Air, with Affleck also directing, and have the Netflix crime thriller RIP releasing this fall. They have another Netflix crime thriller тιтled Animals on the way, which was previously reported to star Damon in the lead role with Affleck directing.

Now, per ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Affleck is replacing Damon in the Netflix crime thriller Animals, which he will also direct. Damon had to depart due to scheduling conflicts with Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, though he will remain on board as a producer alongside Affleck through Artists Equity. Additionally, Gillian Anderson, known for The X-Files and Netflix’s The Crown and Sєx Education, has joined the cast. Animals is set to start production in Los Angeles this April, while The Odyssey is set to start shooting in various international locations in late February.

What Ben Affleck Replacing Matt Damon Means For Animals

Who Is Affleck Playing?

The script for Animals is written by Billy Ray and Connor McIntyre, the former being the Oscar-nominated screenwriter behind Captain Philips, The Hunger Games, and the iconic AMC Theaters: We Make Movies Better ad featuring Nicole Kidman. The crime thriller is said to follow a mayoral candidate whose child is kidnapped. After the casting change, Affleck will seemingly be playing the mayoral candidate instead of Damon, though it’s possible that Anderson could also be playing that role.

Affleck originally envisioned Animals as his next directorial project, planning to helm with Damon set to star. However, a delay caused by rights issues postponed production, forcing Affleck to shift his focus to The Accountant 2, with Animals being pushed back. Determined to bring Animals to life, Affleck recognized an opportunity after he and Damon starred together in the Netflix crime thriller RIP. However, with Damon busy filming Nolan’s The Odyssey, Affleck decided to take on the starring role himself.

Our Take On Ben Affleck Replacing Matt Damon In Animals

The First Time One Has Replaced The Other

While Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have starred alongside each other various times throughout their careers, this is the first publicly known instance where one of them has replaced the other in a project. While it was a decision made out of necessity due to scheduling conflicts, and not creative reasons, it’s still an interesting development nonetheless. How this casting change impacts Animals will become clearer as production progresses and more details emerge.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline