Ben Affleck’s Netflix thriller ‘Animals’ premieres in Los Angeles

Ben Affleck premiered his new Netflix political thriller "Animals" to a packed audience at the Directors Village Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday night, with the film set to release on Netflix on Oct. 9. The premiere included a Hispanic Heritage Month pre-reception with Latino-owned vendors. Netflix's Bela Bajaria highlighted the production's local impact, employing nearly 900 crew members and supporting over 600 businesses. Affleck praised Netflix for performance-based compensation and Los Angeles shooting support, introducing cast members Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, and others. The film follows Affleck as an LA mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped, forcing him to secure a ransom within hours. The screening drew celebrities like Jason Bateman and Matt Damon, with an afterparty held at Brentwood's Baltaire restaurant.