He directed it. He co-wrote it. He stars in it. And when the script called for gunfire and a chase through Los Angeles' iconic concrete storm drain system, Ben Affleck was in the tunnels himself. Principal photography began on March 7, 2025, in Los Angeles, wrapping on April 16 – forty days of filming entirely within Los Angeles, followed by a brief additional shoot in the summer.
Animals – a political crime thriller from Affleck and Matt Damon's Artists Equity production company – opens in select theatres and globally on Netflix on October 9, 2026. It follows Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball (Affleck) and his wife Abigail (Kerry Washington) whose son is kidnapped, forcing them into a desperate scramble to raise the ransom while keeping the situation secret from a city watching their every move.
Filmed entirely within LA, Netflix confirmed that the producers are "committed to supporting the local film industry, keeping jobs within the community" – a deliberate statement at a moment when the industry is actively working to keep major productions in the city.
The Original Farmers Market
On April 15, 2025, filming took place at The Original Farmers Market at 6333 W 3rd Street – one of Los Angeles' most beloved and enduring public spaces, open since 1934. Cameras rolled near Stall 432, where Affleck and Steven Yeun filmed scenes in which their characters handed out campaign leaflets.