Ben Affleck can’t stop talking about working with his ex-wife again, and her boyfriend is reportedly not happy about it.

Unnamed sources told Radar Online that businessman John Miller, chief executive of CaliGroup, is “enraged” by actor Ben Affleck publicly discussing how much he would like to work with his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Garner, again.

Affleck, 54, directed, co-wrote and stars in “Animals,” the thriller that began streaming on Netflix on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. The report was published as an exclusive the same day. The sources said Affleck is talking up a project that does not exist yet — a future on-screen reunion with Garner — and that the idea is creating fresh tension in her relationship with Miller. No one connected to the couple has made that claim on the record.

Why Garner’s Boyfriend Is Upset

The same sources said Miller has long understood that Affleck would remain in Garner’s life, and they gave the reason as the three children the former couple share. Accepting a co-parenting arrangement is a different matter from hearing those comments, those sources said.

Garner and Miller have dated on and off since 2018, and she has largely kept the romance out of public view.

The sources framed the appeal of a reunion as something that looks different depending on where you sit. For Affleck, they said, it is a straightforward creative decision involving an actress he admires and has worked with before. Miller has worked to build a relationship with Garner outside the shadow of her marriage to Affleck, those sources said. A big, splashy project together would drag that history back into the open.

The report quoted a Hollywood insider who said the press tour for such a film would keep returning to the same subjects. Reporters would ask about the divorce, the children and whether the two still have feelings for each other, that insider said. The sources described Garner as someone who avoids conflict between the people who matter to her. Any decision about a reunion project would involve conversations about what everyone is comfortable with, they said.

The Role Garner Almost Played Opposite Her Ex

Affleck made the comments in a mid-September interview with Entertainment Weekly, where he walked through the long, winding development of “Animals” and the version that never happened. Garner, also 54, was in talks early on to play Abigail Kimball. Matt Damon, Affleck’s longtime friend and collaborator who turned 56 on Oct. 8, was attached as her husband, Mark.

“I thought, ‘God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,’” Affleck told the magazine.

Affleck put the project on hold after he learned that director Spike Lee was developing his own kidnapping thriller, “Highest 2 Lowest.” When the film came back to life, Damon was no longer available because of scheduling conflicts with Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.” Affleck took the lead role himself.

That raised the possibility of Affleck and Garner playing a married couple on screen. The two talked the idea over and then dropped it. Garner exited the project, and Kerry Washington, 49, was cast as Abigail.

Why Garner Said No

“We don’t want to do that. You just get baggage,” Garner said, as Affleck recounted the conversation. Affleck said the risk was handing an audience its own baggage and letting it work against the movie.

Affleck has not shelved the idea of working with Garner. He said he would love to collaborate with her, called her fabulous, described the pair as good friends and said he is deeply grateful to her. He said he still wants to work with her in the future.

The two appeared on screen together in “Pearl Harbor” in 2001 and “Daredevil” in 2003. They were married 10 years, separated in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2018. Their three children are Violet, 20; Fin, 17; and Samuel, 14. Affleck finalized his divorce from Jennifer Lopez in 2025.

A Flop With Critics, a Hit With Viewers

Affleck co-wrote “Animals” with Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray. The story follows Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose life unravels overnight when his son is kidnapped. Mark and Abigail scramble to raise ransom money and work out whom they can trust, all while their own secrets surface. Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun and Ray Fisher round out the cast, along with Mexican stars Luis Gerardo Méndez and Adriana Paz.

Netflix released a trailer and images on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the first look at Affleck directing himself for the first time since “Air” in 2023. The film also opened in select theaters the same day.

What’s on Netflix reported that the thriller pulled 23.8 million views over its first three days on the service. Reviews were largely negative, but the film still reached No. 1 on Netflix’s English-language film chart. It also debuted at No. 1 on Samba TV’s streaming chart for the week, TheWrap reported on Friday, Oct. 16.

Affleck has said he is still hunting for the right project to do with Garner.