What happens when a simple police raid turns into a test of loyalty? In The Rip, writer-director Joe Carnahan takes us into the humid tension of Miami, where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon play seasoned cops faced with an impossible choice. One stash house. One phone call. One pile of cash that could change everything. The trailer is at the end of the article.
Inspired by the classic grit of 1970s cop thrillers, The Rip tells the story of a tactical team whose unity begins to crumble after they uncover millions in cash. As danger closes in from every side, paranoia spreads within the group. Carnahan — known for Narc and Smokin’ Aces — focuses not just on action, but on the people behind the badges. He asks a haunting question: when the lines blur, who are the real good guys?
The setup is simple but charged. After a high-stakes bust, the officers receive a mysterious warning to pull out. What follows is chaos — a scramble for survival, truth, and trust. Affleck plays Detective-Sergeant J.D. Byrne, while Damon takes on the role of Lieutenant Dane Dumars. They’re joined by Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Kyle Chandler, and Scott Adkins — a cast built to keep viewers guessing who will stay loyal and who will break.
Director Joe Carnahan gives The Rip a striking visual style. The film unfolds in a haze of Miami heat, where tension simmers beneath every glance and every word. The atmosphere feels heavy with suspicion — a single whisper could set off an explosion.
At its core, The Rip is a neo-noir story about consequences. It’s not only about the stolen cash, but also about the moral price of even thinking about taking it. The title comes from police slang — a “rip” means seizing a criminal’s assets — yet here it carries a deeper meaning: the tearing apart of trust, loyalty, and brotherhood.
For Netflix, this movie is a bold early-year release backed by real star power. Produced through Artists Equity, it reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in a tense, character-driven thriller timed perfectly for January audiences. Expect discussions about trust, temptation, and integrity — all set against the glow of Miami’s neon nights and the sound of distant sirens. A sun-bleached, slow-burn thriller that asks what you’d do when the money’s right there — and who you’d become once you take it.
Release dates (confirmed): The Rip debuts January 16, 2026 on Netflix USA and Netflix UK — a global streaming launch on the same day.
If you love high-tension cop tales with moral fog, file this next to our favorite Netflix thrillers and character-driven crime dramas. For more tension that lingers, explore our psychological thrillers.
- Original title: The Rip
- Genre: Crime thriller
- Country of production: United States
- Year of release: 2026
- Directed by: Joe Carnahan
- Main cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Kyle Chandler, Scott Adkins
- Produced by: Artists Equity – Netflix
- Release date on Netflix USA: January 16, 2026
- Release date on Netflix UK: January 16, 2026
► WATCH ON NETFLIX: Official title page
In the meantime, enjoy the trailer below.
