Honestly, if you even mention the words "Bennifer" and "cinema" in the same sentence, most people immediately think of a neon-lit car crash from 2003. You know the one. But there is a lot more to the ben affleck jennifer lopez movie saga than just one historic flop.
It’s actually a twenty-year journey of weird career pivots, public backlashes, and a surprising professional reunion right as their second marriage was hitting the rocks.
Most people think they just did Gigli and then ran for the hills.
Not quite.
They’ve actually collaborated on at least four different projects, though the way they worked together changed drastically as they got older. From the early 2000s when they were the biggest tabloid targets on Earth, to 2024 and 2025 where they were producing high-brow dramas under Ben’s studio, Artists Equity, the dynamic is night and day.
The Gigli Disaster: What Really Happened?
Let’s get the big one out of the way. If you haven't seen Gigli, you've definitely heard it’s one of the worst movies ever made. Is it? Yeah, mostly. It has a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes. That is impressively low.
Basically, the plot is a mess. Ben plays Larry Gigli, a low-level mobster, and J.Lo is Ricki, a "free-spirited" enforcer who is also, for some reason, a lesbian who eventually falls for him. It's awkward. The dialogue is famously clunky. There’s a scene involving "turkey time" that still haunts anyone who watched it in a theater in 2003.
But here’s the thing people forget: the movie bombed partly because of the "Bennifer" fatigue. They were everywhere. You couldn't buy a pack of gum without seeing their faces on every magazine. By the time the film came out, the public was just... done.
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The studio, Revolution Studios, panicked. They saw the tabloid frenzy and tried to recut the movie from a dark, weird crime drama into a romantic comedy. It didn't work. It felt like a "horse's head on a cow's body," as Ben later put it. It made about $7 million globally on a $75 million budget. Ouch.
The "Jersey Girl" Cameo That Almost Didn't Happen
Right after Gigli cratered, they had another movie ready to go: Jersey Girl.
Directed by Kevin Smith, this was supposed to be a sweet father-daughter story. Jennifer Lopez plays Ben's wife, Gertrude. But because the backlash to their relationship was so toxic, the studio actually hid her from the marketing.
Seriously. They cut her scenes down significantly.
In the final version, her character dies during childbirth in the first ten minutes. It was a strategic move to save the movie from the "Bennifer curse," but it didn't really help. The film still struggled at the box office because people were still associating the two together.
The Modern Pivot: Unstoppable and Kiss of the Spider Woman
Fast forward to 2024 and 2025. The couple had reunited, gotten married in Vegas, and started working together again—but this time, Ben was mostly behind the camera.
Their production company, Artists Equity (which Ben runs with Matt Damon), produced the movie Unstoppable. It’s a gritty, inspiring sports biopic about Anthony Robles, a wrestler born with one leg. Jennifer Lopez gives a genuinely great, grounded performance as Judy Robles, the mother.
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Interestingly, Ben didn't act in this one. He produced it. He was the one in the meetings, making sure the budget worked and the distribution via Amazon MGM was solid.
Then came Kiss of the Spider Woman.
This was a massive swing. A musical drama directed by Bill Condon. J.Lo starred as Aurora, the titular "Spider Woman." It was her first proper movie musical, and she threw everything into it. It premiered at Sundance in early 2025 to decent buzz, but by the time it hit wide release in October 2025, the real-life marriage was over.
Recent Collaborations (2024–2026)
| Movie Title | Role (J.Lo) | Role (Affleck) | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unstoppable | Lead Actor | Producer | Dec 2024 |
| Kiss of the Spider Woman | Lead Actor | Producer | Oct 2025 |
| The Rip | N/A | Lead Actor | Jan 2026 |
It’s kind of wild to think about. They spent 2024 and 2025 promoting these movies together while secretly (and then not-so-secretly) filing for divorce. By January 2026, sources like Globe Magazine were reporting that Jennifer was officially "breaking the chain" and parting ways with Artists Equity to start her own solo production slate.
Why Do We Care So Much?
It's a fair question. Why is a ben affleck jennifer lopez movie still a trending topic decades later?
It’s because their careers are a mirror of celebrity culture itself. In 2003, they were the victims of the "paparazzi era." In 2025, they were the masters of the "prestige era," using their own company to control the narrative.
Even if the movies didn't always break box office records—Kiss of the Spider Woman reportedly only made $2 million in its initial run—they represented a shift in how A-list stars try to survive the industry.
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Ben has clearly moved toward a "work with friends" model. Just look at his latest 2026 Netflix hit, The Rip. He’s back with Matt Damon. They’re playing Miami cops. It’s a return to the grit of The Town and Heat. Meanwhile, Jennifer is back in Vegas, focusing on her residency and moving away from the "Artists Equity" umbrella.
How to Watch Them Now
If you actually want to see these for yourself (and maybe realize Gigli isn't quite as bad as people say... actually, no, it is), here is where you find them:
- Unstoppable (2024): Streaming on Prime Video. It’s worth it for Jharrel Jerome’s performance alone.
- Gigli (2003): Usually tucked away on various VOD platforms or cable rotations. Watch it for the historical context.
- Jersey Girl (2004): Available on most rental platforms. It’s actually a decent movie if you can get past the 2004-era cheese.
- Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025): Currently on the festival and awards circuit, with streaming expected later in 2026.
If you're curious about their professional future, don't hold your breath for another "Bennifer" co-starring role. The industry word is that they are keeping their projects strictly separate from here on out.
The best way to keep up with their new individual slates is to check the 2026 Netflix and Amazon release calendars. Ben is leaning hard into thrillers with Matt Damon, and Jennifer is reportedly eyeing a return to high-concept romantic comedies that she can produce under her own Nuyorican Productions banner.
The era of the "Bennifer movie" is likely officially closed, but the films they left behind—both the disasters and the dramas—are a permanent part of Hollywood history.
To see what else Ben Affleck has in the works, you should check out the latest production updates on Artists Equity, specifically regarding the success bonuses they've implemented for the crew on The Rip.