# Animals Movie Ending Explained: Who Is the Kidnapper?

> Ben Affleck's Netflix thriller reveals the kidnapper's identity in a twist ending.
- Title: Animals Movie Ending Explained: Who Is the Kidnapper?
- Summary: Ben Affleck's Netflix thriller reveals the kidnapper's identity in a twist ending. Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayor candidate, discovers his son was…
- Keywords: animals, ben affleck, netflix, mayor of los angeles, kidnapper, james bureaux, gillian anderson, kerry washington, ramon, hector, denny, ransom
- Source: Decider — https://decider.com/2026/10/09/netflix-animals-movie-ending-explained-who-is-the-kidnapper-ben-affleck
- Published: 2026-10-09T18:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: animals, ben affleck, netflix, mayor of los angeles, kidnapper, james bureaux, gillian anderson, kerry washington, ramon, hector, denny, ransom
## Animals Movie Plot
Ben Affleck directs and stars in a political thriller about a wealthy LA lawyer running an independent mayoral campaign.
## Kidnapper Threat
Mark gets a call claiming to have kidnapped his son with a picture of him in a halloween costume.
## Ransom Demand
The kidnapper demands $7 million in cash that night for his son's safety.
## Mysterious Woman
Mark's campaign manager contacts a powerful woman who can get the ransom money for $1.8 million fee.
## Gayle Burton
Gillian Anderson plays Gayle Burton, who records Mark and his wife agreeing to pay the ransom fee.
## Prank Revealed
Denny returns home safe after Gayle records Mark and his wife agreeing to pay the ransom fee.
## Hector Mistaken
Mark realizes the kidnapper accidentally took Hector, not Denny, after seeing pictures on his phone.
## Latino Vote Strategy
Mark’s campaign manager Sam arranges for him to speak at a Latino event to win over the Latino vote.
## Hector's Safety
Mark and his wife agree to pay Gayle $7 million for the ransom, but they must also pay $1.8 million fee.
## Assassin Plan
Gayle proposes sending assassins to take out the kidnappers when Mark delivers the ransom.
## Marriage Crisis
Mark discovers his wife is cheating with a UCLA professor after seeing her phone.
## Kidnapper Identity
Mark pulls the mask off the kidnapper's dead body to reveal James Bureaux, a small business owner he sued.
## James Bureaux
James Bureaux was a small business owner Mark sued over water pollution regulations.
## Resolution
Mark gets to have sex with his wife and runs for president while lying about his actions.
## Key takeaway

Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayor candidate, discovers his son was kidnapped by James Bureaux, a small business owner he sued over water pollution, who is later revealed to have been the kidnapper.