Affleck's Animals Tops Netflix Global Chart With 23.8M Views

Ben Affleck's crime thriller Animals has claimed the No. 1 spot on Netflix's global charts, according to the streamer's viewership report for October 5 to October 11. The film drew 23.8 million views and 42.8 million hours viewed in that window, five days after its October 9, 2026 release on the platform.

Animals, which Affleck directed and co-wrote with Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray, stars Affleck as Mark Kimball and Kerry Washington as Abigail Kimball. Reviews have been mixed: the film holds a 32% critics' rating and a 41% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, as reported by movieweb.com.

Development history

The project had been in development since January 2024, with Affleck attached to direct from the outset. Matt Damon was originally set to star as Kimball but dropped out when he joined Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey; he stayed on board as a producer. Jennifer Garner was originally attached as Abigail before exiting the project, and Steven Yeun and Gillian Anderson were also originally attached to roles.

Animals follows Affleck's The Rip, the action thriller he released earlier in 2026 opposite Damon. The Rip holds a 77% critics' rating and a 65% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.