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One of Ben Affleck’s most underrated movies will get a sequel
Ben Affleck will star in "The Accountant 2," which begins filming later this year.
Other than Batman, Ben Affleck rarely plays the same character twice. That will change this year, as Affleck begins production on a sequel to his 2016 action thriller “The Accountant.”
Affleck will reunite with filmmaker Gavin O’Connor, who directed Affleck in both “The Accountant” and 2020’s “The Way Back,” for the sequel. Along with Affleck, actors J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”), Jon Bernthal (“The Walking Dead”), and Cynthia Addai-Robinson (“Shooter”) will reprise their roles in “The Accountant 2.” Anna Kendrick (“Pitch Perfect”) is the only notable cast member reportedly not returning for the sequel.
Deadline was the first to report the news about “The Accountant 2,” which will be released by Amazon MGM Studios and produced by Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity.
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“The Accountant” was a modest hit in 2016, grossing $82.6 domestic and $155.6 worldwide on a $44 million budget. Though it received a “rotten” 52 percent freshness rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, it received a 75 percent audience score, and has become a fixture in reruns on TNT and TBS.
The 2016 film followed Christian Wolff (Affleck), a forensic accountant for criminal syndicates worldwide with a high-functioning form of autism. After taking a seemingly above-board client for once, Christian is targeted by hitmen, forcing him to tap into his martial arts and ballistics talent.
‘The Accountant 2’ plot details
A plot synopsis from Amazon seems to indicate “The Accountant 2” will similarly feature plenty of twists and fists.
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“When her former boss is killed by unknown assassins, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Addai-Robinson) is forced to contact Christian Wolff (Affleck) to solve the murder,” the summary reads. “With the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax (Bernthal), Chris applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle. As they get closer to the truth, the trio draw the attention of some of the most ruthless killers alive — all intent on putting a stop to their search.”
In a 2016 interview with Boston.com, O’Connor said that “The Accountant” was a good opportunity for Affleck to flex his action hero muscles, largely without the help of stunt doubles.
“As I said to Ben, ‘You don’t get to wear the mask,’” O’Connor said, inferring that 2016’s “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” used its fair share of Batfleck stand-ins. “I mean, we had a stunt man fall off of a truck in one scene, but he did most of the stunts himself.”
Artist Equity’s upcoming movies
“The Accountant 2” marks the fourth collaboration between Amazon Studios and Artists Equity, with the relationship having already produced Affleck’s 2023 Nike biopic “Air” and Jennifer Lopez’s documentary “The Greatest Love Story Never Told.”
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Next up is “Unstoppable,” a sports drama based on the true story of Anthony Robles, who became an NCAA wrestling champion despite being born with only one leg. Starring Jharrel Jerome (“Moonlight”) and Jennifer Lopez, “Unstoppable” will also feature Don Cheadle (“Iron Man 2”), Michael Peña (“Ant-Man”), and Bobby Cannavale (“Boardwalk Empire”).
Outside of its partnership with Amazon, Affleck and Damon have been hard at work producing movies for other studios as well.
“Small Things Like These,” an Irish drama starring Oscar winner Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”), was the opening night movie at the Berlin International Film Festival last month, and will likely see a U.S. release later this year.
“The Instigators,” the Apple Films crime thriller filmed in Boston starring Damon and Casey Affleck, recently wrapped up post-production and will likely be released sometime in 2024.
Finally, Affleck and Damon are teaming up with Netflix for “Animals,” a crime thriller directed by Affleck and starring Damon about a mayoral candidate whose son has been kidnapped.
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