Following a surprise Christmas reveal from Netflix, lifelong friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are set to star as Miami police partners in a dangerous game of greed and suspicion in their new film The Rip.
The brief new teaser shows Damon and Affleck in character, introducing never-before-seen footage as a holiday gift to fans, complete with their signature friendly banter. The full film, directed by Joe Carnahan, will begin streaming globally on January 16, 2026.
What Happens in The Rip?
The story centers on a team of Miami police officers whose world turns upside down during a routine operation. Upon raiding a run-down stash house, they make a staggering discovery: $24 million in cash.
Florida law requires officers to count all seized money on-site before it can be moved. This rule traps the squad inside the house with the monumental sum, forcing them into an overnight siege where the greatest threat may not come from outside criminals, but from the distrust growing within their own ranks. As word of the massive seizure leaks to outside forces, every alliance is tested, and the officers are left questioning who they can truly rely on.
โThe Rip came out of a deeply personal experience that my friend went through, both as a father and as head of tactical narcotics for the Miami Dade police department,โ said writer-director Joe Carnahan.
He described the film as an extension of classic 1970s cop thrillers like Serpico and Prince of the City, and more recently, Michael Mann’s Heat, focusing on character and strained relationships under pressure.
Who Stars in the Film?
The film reunites one of Hollywoodโs most famous friendships. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star as the central police partners, with Damon playing Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Affleck playing Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne. Their characters’ long-standing partnership is pushed to its limits by the events of the film.
They lead a strong supporting cast that includes:
- Steven Yeun (Beef, The Walking Dead)
- Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Godzilla vs. Kong)
- Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One)
- Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace)
- Sasha Calle (The Flash)
- Nรฉstor Carbonell (Shลgun, The Morning Show)
- Lina Esco (S.W.A.T.), who plays Police Captain Jackie Velez
- Scott Adkins (John Wick: Chapter 4)
Where Did the Idea Come From?
The filmโs title, The Rip, is authentic Miami police slang. It refers to the act of seizing a criminal’s assets, whether cash, drugs, or weapons. Carnahan learned the term from a close friend who is a high-ranking officer in the Miami-Dade Police Department, whose real-life experiences heavily inspired the script.
Damonโs character, Lieutenant Dane Dumars, is essentially a stand-in for Carnahanโs friend. This personal connection grounds the high-stakes thriller in emotional reality, exploring a central question posed throughout the film: โAre we the good guys?โ.
Also Read:
The Damon-Affleck Partnership On and Off Screen
The Rip marks the latest chapter in a collaboration that began when Damon and Affleck were childhood neighbors in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their professional partnership famously launched with Good Will Hunting, which they wrote and starred in, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1997.
While they have often worked in parallel, they have shared the screen in only a handful of films:
- Good Will Hunting (1997)
- Dogma (1999)
- The Last Duel (2021)
- Air (2023)
For The Rip, their collaboration extends beyond acting. Through Artists Equity, the production company they founded in 2022, Damon and Affleck also served as producers on the film. Carnahan praised the experience, noting, โWorking with Matt and Ben and having two, distinctly talented filmmakers, as both creative allies and the studio heads, wound up being the best of both worldsโ.
When and Where to Watch
The Rip will be released exclusively on Netflix. It is scheduled to begin streaming worldwide on Friday, January 16, 2026. The film is rated R for violence and pervasive language and has a runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Also Read: One Piece Season 2 Drops Tony Tony Chopper Poster & Sets March Release Date
