Netflix has just dropped first looks at The Rip, and while the headlines might be about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck reuniting, our eyes are firmly on Steven Yeun.
The Korean-American actor, who’s carved out a space as one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers—from The Walking Dead to Minari and Beef—steps into the gritty world of Miami cops as Detective Mike Ro.
It’s a role that places Yeun at the heart of a genre often dominated by familiar faces, and it feels like a deliberate move: inserting a fresh presence into a story about loyalty, greed, and survival.
Directed by Joe Carnahan (Narc, Copshop), The Rip follows a squad of officers who stumble upon millions in cash in a derelict stash house.
What begins as a career-defining bust soon spirals into a test of trust, morality, and survival as allegiances fracture under the weight of temptation.
Damon and Affleck might anchor the film, but Yeun’s Detective Ro cuts through the noise as a character navigating the blurred lines between camaraderie and suspicion.
Carnahan is clear about his vision—this isn’t just another cop thriller. Drawing inspiration from classics like Serpico, Prince of the City and Heat, the director injects a real-life emotional core into the chaos.
“If the audience falls in love with the characters, you got them,” he says. With Yeun in the mix, that emotional hook feels guaranteed.
Yeun’s addition also speaks to the film’s layered casting. Alongside Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Sasha Calle, the ensemble reflects the kind of lived-in authenticity Carnahan insists on.
Read more: Steven Yeun Confirmed to Voice Fire Lord’s Son, Zuko, in New ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Movie
“It doesn’t feel like a bunch of actors just showed up five minutes before,” he explains. Instead, what emerges is a team bound not just by script, but by chemistry—something that Yeun has consistently brought to every project he’s touched.
In newly released stills, Yeun’s Detective Ro is seen alongside Taylor’s Detective Baptiste, wading through the lush Miami landscape and the moral grey areas that come with it.
The Rip lands on Netflix January 16.
