Kerry Washington is sharing the screen with Ben Affleck in his upcoming Netflix film “Animals.” The political thriller, which Affleck directs as well as playing the leading man Mark Kimball, follows a Los Angeles couple whose life is flipped upside down by a sinister plot against their family amid plans for a mayoral campaign.
The first clue to be shared about the plot was that the story involves a kidnapping. Deadline says Affleck’s longtime friend and “Good Will Hunting” costar Matt Damon was originally tapped for the starring role, but scheduling difficulties led to Affleck stepping into the role so production could get underway.
Affleck and Washington are joined on the cast by Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Luis Gerardo Méndez, and Adriana Paz.
‘Animals’ Teaser Ignites Hype Without Spoiling the Plot
In the YouTube comments, fans are in agreement that the minute-long teaser trailer does a perfect job of drumming up excitement without giving away the entire movie.
The clip starts with Affleck and Washington’s characters sitting tensely in their home before a buzzing cell phone ring. Another shot seems to suggest that their son has been abducted.
Next, flashback clips show the family in happier times making memories and prepping for the campaign, including a proud shot of Mark’s billboard.
More clips show a second couple looking distraught, but it’s not immediately clear what their significance is.
Affleck makes the unique creative choice to not feature any dialogue in the trailer, letting viewers form their own ideas about the tight clips.
One fan exclaimed after watching, “Trailers like this get you hooked plus Kerry, Ben & Gillian are all really good.” Another said, “Finally, a trailer that does not spoil the movie. They are making me get Netflix back for a month.”
Kerry Washington Talks About Starring in ‘Animals’ With Ben Affleck
In a June feature, Deadline quoted the “Scandal” star of saying, “This is a challenging time in a lot of ways. I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love to do. I want to do it with people I think can make me better and who I can make better.”
At a time when Los Angeles is going through a major slump in local film and TV production as projects seek more favorable tax conditions in locations such as Georgia Canada, Washington insisted the movie be filmed in L.A., the story says.
The Bronx native said she now typically sticks to acting in productions by her own Simpson Street company, but makes exceptions, such as for “Animals,” but “it has to be at a very high level and with partners that I really trust will allow me to be a collaborator, even if I’m not a producer.”
Explaining why she enjoys producing, the 49-year-old explained, “It allows me to have a voice in the creative process. It allows me to have agency and an opinion from everything from who’s hired, who are the department heads, who’s being cast, edits on the writing, post-production, the marketing plans. It allows me to collaborate and contribute at every stage of the process.”
