Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Reunite in Explosive Netflix Thriller ‘The Rip’
Hollywood’s most enduring bromance is back on screen, and this time it’s drenched in sweat, suspicion, and stacks of dirty cash. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, lifelong friends and frequent collaborators, star as Miami cops in The Rip, a high-stakes crime thriller hitting Netflix on January 16, 2026. Directed by Joe Carnahan (The Grey, Narc), the film promises intense action, moral dilemmas, and the kind of gritty tension that echoes classics like Heat and Serpico.
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The official trailer, released today, wastes no time plunging viewers into the chaos. Damon plays Lieutenant Dane Dumars, a seasoned tactical narcotics officer, while Affleck portrays Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne, his trusted partner. Their Miami-Dade Tactical Narcotics Team specializes in “rips”—police slang for seizing drugs, weapons, or cash from criminals. On a routine bust at a derelict stash house, they uncover an astonishing $24 million in cash, likely belonging to a dangerous cartel.
What starts as a straightforward seizure quickly spirals. Miami protocol requires counting the money on-site, trapping the team overnight in the house as word spreads about the massive haul. Outside forces—cartel enforcers, perhaps—close in, forcing the cops to barricade and defend their position. But the real threat comes from within: greed and paranoia erode trust among the team. “Do you think I’m gonna jack this rip?” Damon’s character demands in the trailer, met with Affleck’s chilling response: “I don’t trust you right now, and that’s a fucking problem.”
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Inspired by true events from Carnahan’s close friend—a former head of tactical narcotics in Miami—the story explores the seductive pull of temptation. As Damon explained in interviews, “In Miami, you have to count the money on-site, so that everybody knows how much is there… They’re on the clock, and they have to start thinking of defending where they are because they can’t just leave.” Affleck added depth to the moral core: “It begs the question: What do you do when faced with this massive temptation? Who do you trust?”
Carnahan, who wrote the screenplay alongside story collaborator Michael McGrale, infuses the film with raw authenticity. He described Dumars as a “doppelgänger” of his real-life friend, even incorporating a tattoo referencing Cormac McCarthy’s The Road—a nod to the recurring question, “Are we the good guys?” The director praised working with Damon and Affleck, both as actors and producers through their company Artists Equity: “Having two distinctly talented filmmakers as creative allies and studio heads wound up being the best of both worlds.”
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The supporting cast elevates the tension to boiling point. Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead, Beef) brings intensity to an undisclosed but pivotal role. Teyana Taylor, fresh from acclaimed performances, adds edge and charisma. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Bloodline) embodies authoritative grit, while Sasha Calle (The Flash), Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins (known for action prowess), Néstor Carbonell, and Lina Esco round out the ensemble.
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Filming wrapped in December 2024, marking the first collaboration between Netflix and Artists Equity, the production company Damon and Affleck founded in 2022. Their partnership has yielded hits like Air (2023), where Affleck directed Damon in the story of Nike’s Air Jordan deal, and the historical drama The Last Duel (2021). But The Rip feels like a return to pulse-pounding genre fare, blending the duo’s chemistry with Carnahan’s signature visceral style—explosive shootouts, claustrophobic standoffs, and betrayals that hit close to home.
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Clocking in at 2 hours and 13 minutes with an R rating, The Rip positions itself as a must-watch kickoff to 2026’s streaming slate. Early buzz highlights the trailer’s relentless pace and the stars’ committed performances, with shades of Triple Frontier (another heist-gone-wrong tale) and Carnahan’s own Copshop. As cartel threats loom and alliances fracture, one thing is clear: in this rip, no one emerges unscathed.
Damon and Affleck’s real-life friendship—forged in childhood and cemented by their Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting script—lends authenticity to the on-screen partnership turned rivalry. Fans have waited years for this kind of gritty team-up, and The Rip delivers in spades.
Mark your calendars for January 16. Trust no one—except perhaps your remote—as Netflix drops what could be one of the year’s first breakout thrillers.