Netflix has confirmed that Ben Affleck’s kidnapping thriller Animals will receive a limited cinema release alongside its streaming debut on 9 October. The announcement matters because it marks Affleck’s return to directing after 2023’s Air and gives the crime film a theatrical presence despite being a Netflix release.

The confirmation accompanied the film’s first teaser trailer, with further details of the cinema rollout expected in the coming months. Affleck has had a strong recent run on streaming: The Rip, co-starring Matt Damon, reportedly drew more than 108 million views in its first 90 days on Netflix, while The Accountant sequel has performed strongly on Prime Video.