We’re just a few months away from the much-anticipated release of The Accountant 2, the long-awaited sequel to Ben Affleck’s 2016 action thriller The Accountant. As with most popular franchises, fans are curious to see how the second installment will set itself apart from the original. According to director Gavin O’Connor, one notable difference lies in the return of a familiar character from the first film.
In the 2016 movie, Ben Affleck played Christian Wolff, a math genius who used his skills to help a criminal organization. While his bank account grew from dirty money, the Treasury Department kept a close eye on him, and the body count started rising. Jon Bernthal, who plays Christian’s brother Brax, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who plays Marybeth Medina, are both set to return for the sequel. However, one familiar face will be missing—Anna Kendrick’s character, Dana Cummings. Director Gavin O’Connor has confirmed that she won’t be coming back.
In a chat with Screen Rant, O’Connor explained that Dana won’t be in the sequel because the story takes a completely new direction. He also hinted that Justine, played by Alison Wright in the first film, will have a much bigger role this time. Here’s what O’Connor had to say:
Well, Dana’s not in the movie. That was just the first one. We have a whole new movie. We have much more of Justine in the second film than we did in the first. Also, Harbor Neuroscience and all the kids at Harbor Neuroscience–we’ve created that world with these kids who work with Justine, and we cast all kids that are either neurodivergent [or] who are on the spectrum to play the roles. I’ve got to tell you, man, they’re as good as every other actor in our movie. They were so just authentic and honest and no acting. They were amazing, which, when you see the movie, I’m sure you’ll agree. The kids were great.
Dana played an important role in the first movie, even hinting at a possible romance with Christian. Her absence in the sequel suggests the story will skip the love angle and focus more on action. The Accountant 2 will also dive deeper into the relationship between Christian and his brother Brax, which could make for an exciting twist.
J.K. Simmons will return as Ray King, but his death will drag Christian back into the criminal world. With all these changes, could there be a third movie? O’Connor seems hopeful, saying, “I’ve had a lot of ideas for a third film and have been thinking about it for years.” Ben Affleck agrees and adds his own thoughts:
I’m keenly aware of the fact that you kind of have to earn another movie. The worst pitfall is to store a bunch of your good ideas for the next installment. If you don’t create an interest demand the first time out there, you’re just going to be playing that to an empty house.
The Accountant 2 arrives in theaters on April 25. Keep an eye out for more updates about the movie, and if you want to catch up, you can watch The Accountant on Max.