Ben Affleck's 'Animals' hits Netflix amid talk of AI use
Ben Affleck's kidnapping thriller "Animals" is now streaming on Netflix. Affleck directs and stars with Kerry Washington, and he says AI tools helped with work after filming, like fixing lighting, and insists the tech did not replace any jobs. Early reviews have been harsh.
Ben Affleck's new thriller "Animals" is now streaming on Netflix. It is his sixth film as a director.
Affleck stars as a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. Kerry Washington plays his wife. The cast also includes Gillian Anderson and Steven Yeun.
The movie almost looked very different. Affleck first planned to direct but not star, with Matt Damon and Jennifer Garner in the lead roles, he told TheWrap. Then he learned that Spike Lee and Denzel Washington were making a film with a similar plot, "Highest 2 Lowest." "These are not people with whom I'm interested in competing," Affleck said. He shelved the project weeks before filming.
When he picked it back up, Damon was busy with "The Odyssey," so Affleck took the lead himself. Garner stepped away from playing the wife of her real-life ex-husband. Affleck also reworked the script to make the characters more morally gray.
The film has also drawn attention for its use of AI. Affleck founded an AI company called InterPositive and sold it to Netflix earlier this year for almost $600 million, IGN reported. He told TheWrap that AI trained only on this film's footage was used after shooting, for jobs like "changing some lights or optics of a shot or doing some visual effects removals." He said the tools did not eliminate any jobs.
"I firmly reject that," Affleck said of the idea that AI can "do it all." He compared the tech to past changes like sound in movies or LED lights.
Early reviews have been rough. Vulture called the film "a catastrophe," and RogerEbert.com's review said the thriller "should be put down."
Affleck said Netflix gave him almost no notes. "They were kind of astonishingly liberating, almost scary," he said.
What we know: "Animals" is streaming now and used AI tools after filming.
What we don't: How many people will watch it.
Where outlets agree TheWrap and IGN both report that Affleck used AI in making "Animals" and sold his AI company InterPositive to Netflix.
Where they differ TheWrap quotes Affleck naming specific AI uses such as lighting changes and effects removal, while IGN reports he declined to say which parts of the film used AI.