Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are teaming up again, this time for a tense crime drama on Netflix. The film is called The Rip, written and directed by Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin’ Aces), and it will arrive worldwide on January 16, 2026 on the streaming platform.
Set inside a narcotics unit in Miami, the movie follows a group of cops whose world is shaken when they stumble upon a hidden fortune in a rundown stash house. As word of the money starts to seep out, trust inside the team breaks down and everyone begins to look like a potential threat.
Story, tone and inspirations of The Rip
Netflix’s official setup for The Rip is deliberately minimal: millions in cash are found in a decaying safe house, and from that moment on, every person and every decision is suspect. Instead of a high-concept hook, the movie leans into paranoia and moral gray areas inside law enforcement.
Carnahan has grounded his script in two key influences drawn directly from his own references. First, he cites a real-life account from a Miami-Dade narcotics official as a starting point for the story’s authenticity and the way the unit operates. Second, he frames the film as a spiritual heir to 1970s character-driven crime dramas such as Serpico and Prince of the City, with a more recent touchstone in Heat. The focus is less on spectacle and more on tension, loyalties and the slow erosion of ethics once money enters the equation.
At the time of the announcement, Netflix had not yet released a full trailer. That wait, however, was only set to last a few hours: the streamer confirmed that a first teaser would drop the next day.
If for now no full-length trailer has been made available, Netflix has officially stated that a teaser is arriving tomorrow, setting up the first real look at Damon and Affleck in this Miami-set thriller.
Matt Damon. Ben Affleck.
THE RIP TEASER TOMORROW pic.twitter.com/xS3NKwjqeO
— Netflix (@netflix) September 9, 2025
What the title The Rip really means
The film’s title isn’t just stylistic. In local law-enforcement slang, “a rip” refers to the seizure or confiscation of cash, weapons or drugs during an operation. In other words, it describes the precise instant when officers take control of illegal assets.
That moment—the point where you “take”—is where the movie plants its flag. It’s the hinge on which the story turns, because once that money is in play, procedures, morals and institutions can all start to unravel. The title signals that the film is as interested in that breakdown as in the crime elements themselves.
The main cast and characters
The cast brings together Damon and Affleck at the center of the story, backed by a large ensemble that fills out the Miami narcotics world.
- Matt Damon plays Lieutenant Dane Dumars, while Ben Affleck takes on the role of Sergeant J.D. Byrne. Their dynamic inside the narcotics unit is expected to anchor the film’s internal conflicts.
- They are joined by Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sasha Calle, Néstor Carbonell, Lina Esco, Scott Adkins and Kyle Chandler. Early character images and profiles have been made available on Tudum, giving a first look at how these actors fit into the world of the film.
Production timeline and filming locations
The Rip came together in 2024, when Netflix boarded the project as global distributor. Principal photography began on October 3, 2024, in Los Angeles, with additional sequences shot in New Jersey in November of the same year.
The release plan evolved during the post-production phase. According to coverage coming out of Tudum 2025, the film initially carried a “late 2025” release window before the date was officially locked to January 16, 2026. The movie is produced by Artists Equity, the company led by Damon and Affleck, reinforcing their creative involvement beyond acting.
Setting, themes and what to expect on Netflix
The action takes place inside a Miami narcotics unit, with the huge seizure at the center of the plot acting like a stress test for everyone involved. The discovery of the cash doesn’t just expose cracks inside the team; it also highlights deeper fault lines within law enforcement itself.
Rather than focusing solely on chases or shootouts, the film is positioned as a character-focused crime story that examines how a single windfall can scramble loyalties and ethics. The mix of Carnahan’s grounded inspiration, a 1970s-style crime sensibility and the star power of Damon and Affleck is designed to appeal to viewers who favor tense, morally complicated thrillers on streaming platforms.
Key facts about The Rip
- Global Netflix release date: January 16, 2026.
- Writer-director: Joe Carnahan (Narc).
- Setting: Miami narcotics unit; a massive seizure exposes deep fractures inside the team.
- Production company: Artists Equity (Damon/Affleck).
- Filming: fall 2024 in Los Angeles, with additional shots in New Jersey.
- Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sasha Calle, Néstor Carbonell, Lina Esco, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler.
FAQ
When will The Rip be released on Netflix?
The Rip is scheduled to premiere worldwide on Netflix on January 16, 2026. The date applies globally, so subscribers in all regions will be able to stream it the same day.
Who is directing The Rip and what are their previous works?
The film is written and directed by Joe Carnahan, whose credits include Narc and Smokin’ Aces. With The Rip, he draws on a real testimony from a Miami-Dade narcotics official and on his long-standing interest in 1970s human-scale crime thrillers like Serpico, Prince of the City and, more recently, Heat.
What is the basic premise of The Rip?
In The Rip, members of a Miami narcotics unit discover millions in cash in a dilapidated stash house. Once the money is found, suspicion spreads in every direction, and both individuals and institutions are put under pressure as moral and professional boundaries begin to erode.
Who stars in The Rip?
The movie is led by Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Ben Affleck as Sergeant J.D. Byrne. They are supported by Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sasha Calle, Néstor Carbonell, Lina Esco, Scott Adkins and Kyle Chandler, with early character images available on Tudum.
