Ben Affleck is stepping in to replace his longtime collaborator, Matt Damon, as the lead in the upcoming Netflix crime thriller ‘Animals’. Damon had to exit the project due to scheduling conflicts with Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’. Despite stepping down from the lead role, Damon will continue to contribute as a producer alongside Affleck and Dani Bernfeld under their Artists Equity studio.

The film’s narrative centres on a mayoral candidate and his wife who are confronted with the harrowing kidnapping of their son. Gillian Anderson has been cast in the female lead role. The screenplay is a collaboration between Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray.

Affleck’s upcoming projects include starring in ‘The Accountant 2’ and reuniting with Damon in the Netflix crime thriller ‘RIP’, directed by Joe Carnahan.