Ben Affleck 's crime thriller "Animals" has been revived, with the Hollywood star now set to take on the lead role in the movie. Affleck had initially considered "Animals" as his next project last year but had only planned to direct. The movie, which was previously set up at Netflix , had Matt Damon lined up for the starring role, according to entertainment news outlet The Hollywood Reporter.

However, the movie was delayed due to issues related to the rights. Affleck moved on to the sequel of "The Accountant", while Damon was cast in Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey".

The film has now been revived, with Affleck remaining in the director's chair while also taking on the lead role. Netflix will produce the project in collaboration with Affleck and Damon's production banner, Artists Equity.

British star Gillian Anderson has joined the cast, and production is expected to begin in April this year.

The script, penned by Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray, follows a mayoral candidate and his wife whose son is kidnapped.

"Surrounded by plenty of enemies, political and otherwise, the husband and wife have no choice but to get their hands dirty in order to save their son," according to the official logline.

The film will also be produced by Dani Bernfeld of Artists Equity, alongside Brad Weston and Collin Creighton of MakeReady.

Affleck and Damon, who began their collaboration with 1997's "Good Will Hunting", for which they won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, will next be seen in the crime thriller "RIP", set to release on Netflix later this year.