Artists Equity, the studio co-founded by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Gerry Cardinale, has entered into a first-look production and distribution agreement with Netflix.
The deal comes off of the release of the Artist Equity-produced Netflix film “The Rip,” which has racked up 112 million views on the streaming service since its release on Jan. 16. The film is directed by Joe Carnahan and stars Affleck and Damon alongside Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins and Kyle Chandler.
“We’re expanding our partnership with Artists Equity because they share our mission – to make bold, original films. Ben and Matt don’t wait for opportunities, they create them: from making and starring in ambitious, original films, to building an innovative studio model,” said Netflix film chairman Dan Lin. “Formalizing this relationship means we will be making even more memorable movies together.”
The studio’s partnership with Netflix will be for films intended for direct-to-streaming release and will exist alongside a previously established partnership with Sony Pictures for theatrically released films.
“This is an incredible milestone for Artists Equity and one that validates the vision we’ve been working towards since 2022. From the jump, we’ve seen this growing need for an independent supplier comfortable across the entire creative process, from development to final cut,” said Damon and Affleck. “Netflix is a great match for our work. Dan and his team have a unique connection with the modern viewer and the ability to unite audiences over a shared cultural moment.”
Artists Equity’s next film with Netflix will be “Animals,” a film directed by and starring Affleck as a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is taken hostage and held at ransom. With most of their money tied up in his campaign, the candidate and his wife must save their son by exposing a dark side of their lives. Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Adriana Paz, Ray Fisher, Matt Gerald with Luis Gerardo Méndez and Yeun also star in the film.
