The Accountant 2 is the upcoming sequel to Ben Affleck’s 2016 action thriller, The Accountant, and considering his lack of direct sequels throughout his 41-year career, is exciting news. The Accountant 2 is already in development, and the sequel will see Affleck return as his mathematical savant/money launderer, Christian Wolff. Affleck and other cast members from The Accountant will return in the sequel, which speaks volumes to the level of consistency and quality the filmmakers are aiming for. While The Accountant wasn’t a monumental success, its accurate depictions of autism combined with gripping action make it one of Affleck’s best.

Arguably the most exciting thing about Affleck’s upcoming sequel is the fact that the actor rarely participates in direct sequels. Although he’s portrayed many characters multiple times in various projects, he’s developed a reputation for seldom leading movies with the same character. Despite The Accountant‘s relative obscurity compared to the rest of the star’s career, Affleck returning to The Accountant 2 suggests his confidence in the upcoming sequel’s quality. With the majority of the first movie’s supporting cast also returning, the developments surrounding The Accountant 2 are already exciting.

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The Accountant 2 Is Surprising Given Ben Affleck Makes Very Few Direct Sequels

The Accountant 2 is one of Affleck’s few times leading a direct sequel.

Throughout Affleck’s career, the A-list star has cultivated a career around starring in decidedly distinct movies throughout his career. From action moves to slapstick comedies to period dramas, Affleck is an actor who prides himself on trying new things as often as possible. As such, Affleck has rarely ever done direct sequels to any of his movies, regardless of how acclaimed they are or how well they performed at the box-office. As demonstrated by Affleck’s close collaborations with filmmaker Kevin Smith and his successful run as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Affleck isn’t above appearing in multiple movies as the same character.

One of Affleck’s best examples of reprising the same character in multiple movies is demonstrated by Holden McNeil appearing in many of Smith’s films. McNeil is a comic book penciler who usually offers his friends sound advice that can sometimes come across as too blunt or crass. Although his turn as Matthew Murdock / Daredevil isn’t fondly remembered, he portrayed the character in his live-action Daredevil, and he reprised the role in the director’s cut of Elektra. Affleck’s work as Bruce Wayne / Batman is his most reprised character, which highlights why a sequel is great for him.

The Accountant 2 Is More Exciting Given Ben Affleck’s Lack Of Sequels

Some of Affleck’s characters have made appearances multiple movies.

Despite Affleck’s star power, he isn’t known for his sequels, a decision that not only demonstrates his commitment to challenging himself, but also makes audiences ponder what an Affleck-led sequel would be like. Although he’s done movies with plenty of franchise potential like, Daredevil and the DCEU Batman movies, Affleck simply hasn’t made that commitment yet. His willingness to return to The Accountant 2, a movie that essentially flew under the radar, speaks not only to his choice in choosing the right projects, but his faith in it being successful.

While not a massive success, The Accountant works as a strong example of what Affleck can bring to the action-thriller genre despite being in his mid 40s at the time. As such, The Accountant features action on-par with the John Wick franchise, an engaging plot, and an inspired performance from Affleck that perfectly highlights his range and star power. With Affleck and Jon Bernthal returning to The Accountant 2, and Bernthal’s character reported to have more prominence, there are already many reasons why the upcoming sequel has the potential to be one of Affleck’s best.

The Accountant 2 Could Be Even Better Than The First Movie

Most of the cast from The Accountant are also returning.

In addition to Affleck and Bernthal reprising their roles from The Accountant, J.K. Simmons is also set to return in the upcoming sequel as Ray, a prominent treasurer, and one of Christian’s closest allies. While the dynamics between Affleck and Simmons were great, it was the chemistry between Affleck and Bernthal that really stood out. Although Bernthal’s role wasn’t as big as it should have been, The Accountant 2 will see Bernthal return in an increased role, which should provide audiences with far more unique and memorable interactions between the two stars.

With limited plot details, The Accountant 2 will likely see Affleck and Bernthal delve deeper into an even more tense situation where guns and violence will once again be their best means of problem-solving. Based purely on Affleck’s limited number of direct sequels under his belt, The Accountant 2 has the potential to be the start of a new career trajectory for him if it proves to be successful. Furthermore, with Affleck’s enthusiasm for the upcoming sequel, it suggests that the movie will be of a higher quality than its first, which could compel audiences to revisit the underrated action-thriller.