Ben Affleck talks Animals, Batman and building Artists Equity with Matt Damon

Ben Affleck directs and stars in Animals, an abduction thriller with Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun and Gillian Anderson, he discussed in an interview published on 7 October 2026, according to Variety. The conversation ranges across his time as Batman, his long partnership with Matt Damon and the company they now run together.

Affleck played Batman in four films between 2016 and 2023, Variety reported. He first broke through with Damon. The two won Oscars for writing the 1997 film Good Will Hunting.

Affleck later won a second Oscar for producing Argo, the Best Picture winner he also directed and starred in. He works across directing, acting, writing and producing. Damon, his business partner, is widely recognised for roles including the lead in the 2015 film The Martian, in which he wore an orange NASA costume.

That shared history sits inside Artists Equity, a full-service content company founded by Affleck and Damon. It was formed in 2022 with RedBird Capital's Gerry Cardinale. The organisation describes itself as an artist-led studio, with Affleck as chief executive and Damon as chief content officer, according to Artists Equity.

Artists Equity has a first-look deal with Netflix to produce and distribute films for streaming, Variety reported. A first-look deal means Netflix gets first refusal on projects the company develops. One result is The Rip, an onscreen reunion film for Affleck and Damon that was released on Netflix in January.

The pay model is different from the flat-fee norm in streaming. Artists Equity shares all streaming revenue with above-the-line talent, meaning screenwriters, directors, actors and producers, in addition to traditional fees. It has also negotiated performance-based bonuses with Netflix that pay out to the entire crew of a given film.

The company has also launched the fourth round of its Writers' Room programme, according to Artists Equity. The scheme develops new writers inside the studio system. It points to a pipeline beyond Affleck and Damon vehicles.

What makes this stand out is the plumbing. Most streaming pay stops at a fixed fee. Here the aim is to tie reward to performance, from star names to the full crew list.