Ben Affleck and Matt Damon enthusiasts will need to be patient a bit longer for the pair’s upcoming project. Netflix has announced that The Rip, a highly anticipated crime thriller featuring and produced by the longtime collaborators, won’t debut until next year. The new worldwide release is scheduled for January 16, 2026, meaning what was poised to be one of Netflix’s most significant film events this year is still over seven months away.
That’s disappointing, undoubtedly, particularly given the caliber of talent involved. Besides Affleck and Damon, The Rip also boasts a remarkable cast that includes Steven Yeun, Kyle Chandler, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Sasha Calle, with Joe Carnahan at the helm (recognized for his intense action thrillers like Narc and Smokin’ Aces). Furthermore, it’s being developed by Artists Equity, the creator-focused studio founded by Affleck and Damon in 2022.
In terms of narrative, The Rip draws inspiration from a real-life acquaintance of Carnahan’s — a father and the former head of tactical narcotics at the Miami-Dade police department. “It’s partially inspired by his life and … by my lasting admiration for those classic ‘70s cop thrillers that truly emphasized character and interpersonal dynamics, becoming benchmarks of that period — films like Serpico and Prince of The City and more recently, Michael Mann’s Heat,” Carnahan expressed to the streaming service’s Tudum.
The film’s plot kicks off when a group of Miami officers uncovers a significant cache of money concealed in a stash house. That revelation swiftly ignites a chain reaction of distrust, as both internal and external forces begin to converge, leading to unraveling loyalties. The title, Carnahan notes, derives from street jargon used by Miami law enforcement; a “rip” refers to the act of confiscating contraband from suspects.
In essence, the stakes in The Rip are both personal and professional, entrenched in a realm where even the heroes can lose their sense of right and wrong.
For his part, Carnahan has characterized collaborating with the two actors-turned-producers as one of the most rewarding filmmaking experiences of his career. He acknowledges them not merely as studio leaders but as partners who “supported my choices at every juncture.” To sum it up: The delay may be disappointing, but given the various components that make up this film — a combination of 1970s-style cop drama, real-life inspiration, and the classic Damon-Affleck synergy — The Rip remains a film to look forward to. Now we just need to hold on a bit longer to experience it.
