‘The Rip’ Stars Matt Damon & Ben Affleck Changed Netflix’s Pay Structure for New Action Thriller

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Netflix’s new action-thriller, The Rip, could be a turning point for those involved. Starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck – who previously worked together on Good Will Hunting – the film was made with a groundbreaking deal. Through their production company, Artists Equity (founded in 2022), the actors challenged Netflix’s traditional business model, potentially paving the way for new approaches.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Ben Affleck shared that the film’s cast and crew will receive bonuses based on how well the movie performs on Netflix. This is a change for Netflix, which usually pays creators a fixed amount upfront. For The Rip, all 1,200 people who worked on the film could earn a bonus if it reaches certain viewership goals within its first 90 days on the streaming service. Essentially, the more people watch the movie, the bigger the bonus for everyone involved.

We aimed to create a fairer system and tackle important, pressing problems for our company. This agreement is central to the core principles that guided us when we founded the business. Everyone involved in this project – the cast and crew alike – will receive bonuses based on pre-established goals that we’ve already discussed and agreed upon.

I believe Ted Sarandos genuinely cares about the entertainment industry and is committed to its success. He’s doing a great job and clearly recognizes the importance of creative talent – filmmakers, performers, and artists.

The new movie, The Rip, comes out on Friday, January 16th and follows a group of Miami police officers who discover millions of dollars in hidden cash. The film stars Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Affleck as Detective Sergeant JD Byrne, Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Teyana Taylor as Detective Numa Baptiste, Sasha Calle as Desi, Catalina Sandino Moreno as Detective Lolo Salazar, and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo ‘Matty’ Nix.

Matt Damon “Really Lucky” to Have Avoided Same Scrutiny Felt by Ben Affleck


Netflix

This follows an interview with the Radio Times Podcast where Damon said he feels lucky to have avoided the intense media attention Affleck has faced. Affleck’s relationships and struggles with addiction have been constant tabloid news since he became famous in the late 1990s. Damon was speaking with his The Instigators co-star, Casey Affleck, as part of a promotional discussion when he shared these thoughts.

I feel fortunate, especially when I think about Casey’s brother, Ben. I can’t imagine having to live with that level of public attention. We’ve both had similar careers for about 25 years, but I’ve been lucky enough to avoid that intense scrutiny.

Twenty-five years ago, the popular magazine world largely overlooked me. They weren’t interested in someone who was settled down – it was considered uninteresting. Magazines thrived on scandal and sensational stories, and because I didn’t offer that, they didn’t bother covering my work. As a result, I was pretty much left to my own devices.

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2026-01-12 13:20