Ben Affleck and Matt Damon sued over hit Netflix crime thriller The Rip

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Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production company, Artists Equity, is being sued after their new Netflix movie, The Rip, was released. They are facing a defamation claim related to the film, in which they both starred and produced.

In this film by Joe Carnahan, the two leads play police officers in Miami’s narcotics division. When a drug raid uncovers a stash of cash, the officers start to suspect one another of theft.

The new crime thriller is based on a real case that happened at the Miami-Dade Police Department in 2016. The movie starts with a notice saying it’s “inspired by true events.”

Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, two officers with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, are suing Artists Equity, a company founded by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in 2022.

The lawsuit largely focuses on how the film portrays police officers. Smith and Santana claim the portrayal is damaging to their reputations. While they aren’t specifically mentioned by name in the film, they believe the characters played by Damon and Affleck are clearly based on them.

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As a fan, I’m reading about this lawsuit, and it sounds like the way the officers were depicted in the show – especially because of how closely they seemed linked to Smith and Santana – has really damaged their reputations, both personally and professionally. That’s what the lawsuit is claiming, anyway, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The accusation centers around alleged wrongdoing, bad decisions, and unethical actions during an actual police operation. Additionally, Smith and Santana are claiming they suffered severe emotional distress as a result.

The lawsuit that reportedly inspired the movie involved the confiscation of over $21 million. The plaintiffs argue that the film’s location and specific, unusual details strongly suggest the characters are based on them.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants’ attorneys sent a “cease and desist” letter in December 2025. After the film’s release earlier this year, the defendants reportedly responded by stating they didn’t believe the film portrayed any wrongdoing by the plaintiffs, as it didn’t specifically mention Sergeant Smith or suggest they had acted improperly.

The officers are requesting financial compensation for their losses, as well as additional damages meant to punish the responsible parties, and coverage of their legal costs. While Netflix distributed the film globally, they are not being sued in this case.

Digital Spy has reached out for comment from Damon and Affleck’s representatives.

The Rip is streaming now on Netflix.

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2026-05-12 19:49