In “The Accountant 2,” the aforementioned eponymous Accountant (also referred to as Christian Wolff, performed by Ben Affleck) goes on a pace courting occasion. At one other level in “The Accountant 2,” he and his brother, Braxton (Jon Bernthal), take a while away from the plot of the film to go to a honky tonk for no different cause than to, as Braxton places it, “get drunk.” Whereas there, the Accountant partakes in some line dancing to a canopy of Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Highway” whereas sporting gaudy-looking sneakers.
When followers of the primary “The Accountant” film have requested me about “The Accountant 2,” I’ve introduced up each of those scenes, and I’ve repeatedly been met with accusations that I’m making this up. I’m not.
Now, most administrators are a bit of extra valuable with the main points of future plans for a franchise. This isn’t how Gavin O’Connor operates — who, forward, overtly talks about what he needs the plot of the third “The Accountant” film to be. (Or, extra precisely, lack of plot.) And he’s fairly clear he needs Anna Kendrick to be a part of a 3rd journey, who doesn’t seem within the second installment. But it surely’s been such a wierd highway for this sequel already, so, positive, why not give us the main points now?
The primary installment got here out a full 9 years in the past. It did fairly effectively on the field workplace, grossing $155 million. A sequel was within the works earlier than, effectively, so much of delays (a pandemic and Warner Bros. promoting home rights amongst them). However in that point, “The Accountant” has performed on cable on a unending loop, creating considerably of a brand new cult following for a movie that financially already did kind of okay.
Anyway, “The Accountant” is lastly again. This time, Christian (aka the Accountant) is in a greater place in life and, sure, going to hurry courting occasions. When he learns from Agent Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) that one thing nefarious has occurred to his pal Raymond King (J.Ok. Simmons), the 2 attempt to discover out what occurred, sending them down into a reasonably darkish world of human trafficking – with Christian finally calling in his brother Braxton to assist.
Forward, O’Connor explains why, with such darkish undertones within the plot, he actually needed to thread a needle to make this installment funnier. And he explains why, within the third film, he principally needs to eschew the entire “sophisticated plot” facet and simply make it a highway journey film. No, severely.
However, first, it took a minute earlier than O’Connor understood my real enthusiasm that there’s now one other “The Accountant” film.
The next interview has been edited and condensed for size and readability.
IndieWire: I’ve nice information, “The Accountant” is again.
Gavin O’Connor: It’s?
Sure. I’m excited.
I respect you telling me that. The place is it again?
In theaters. The Accountant, he’s again.
In theaters, actually? I like it. I’m going to go test it out.
If somebody has requested me earlier than I regarded it up, I might have guessed “The Accountant” got here out 5 or 6 years in the past. Not 9.
Effectively, COVID had so much to do with that.
Proper, however I additionally assume it’s as a result of “The Accountant” is on cable on daily basis. I believe there’s a “The Accountant” channel.
Effectively, I didn’t know that. I imply, the film did fairly good on the field workplace. I believe higher than the studio anticipated. It undoubtedly discovered a second life in residence leisure, and I believe that’s the place lots of people began to find the film.
There was enjoyable, non-franchise motion motion pictures like “The Accountant” on a regular basis. Although perhaps it’s a franchise now. How do you get individuals to make these?
Effectively, having Ben form of helps to get a film made. After we made the primary film, it wasn’t like we had been making it pondering we had been making a franchise. It was in put up the place I can keep in mind chatting with Lynette Howell, our producer, and Invoice Dubuque, the author, and saying, look, I really feel there are three of those. I began fascinated by what the second film may very well be. I wished Christian to seek out love.
This installment has much more humor. Do you know that then, too?
Right here’s what I knew for the second movie. We’re going to take Ray King and he’s going to be the ignition for the story. If Ray [is in trouble], and why, now it’s private for Christion and it’s private for Marybeth. And that’s the doorway into the second film. I knew I wished to take care of human trafficking, that is again in 2018, as a result of it’s a subject I actually care about and I wished to shine a lantern on it. However, that being stated, it additionally created a variety of issues tonally. It’s such a heavy material and I actually wished this film to be enjoyable and I wished it to be entertaining.
What I hoped for, however you don’t comprehend it till you do it, is to place these two bonker brothers collectively. Now these two brothers have to repair it. All their shit. All their backstory, their upbringing. Every part they’ve had issues with, I wished them to attempt to repair it. However you’re coping with Christian – who is usually a little bit of a brick wall at occasions – I assumed we might mine some enjoyable out of that. I used to be by no means making an attempt to write down humorous stuff. Quite a lot of the humor within the film is a variety of improvisation…
Wait, so I by no means ask “was something improvised?” as a result of the reply is sort of at all times no. However this time it was? What particularly?
I’ll provide you with an instance. The pace courting scene…
Incredible.
So, that scene, Invoice wrote a really humorous scene. So, we might do this. However I’d hold rolling. Ben knew the character so effectively I’m like, dude, let’s simply improvise. In that scene, I believe 90 p.c of Ben’s responses are improvised.
Even the tax suggestions?
Yeah, the tax suggestions was one.
He’s accountant and he’s giving free tax recommendation and his dates had been offput by this.
They need love, not tax suggestions. There have been occasions within the film I’d simply sit with a two shot as a result of Ben and Jon had such good rhythm with one another. I can reduce it and create the rhythm, however they had been doing it for me within the two shot! It was simply how they performed off one another. It was a dance. Credit score goes to these guys.
Talking of the pace courting scene… individuals have requested me in regards to the film. I discussed The Accountant goes to a pace courting occasion then The Accountant goes line dancing at a honky tonk. Individuals assume I’m making stuff up.
Effectively, as I instructed Invoice, I very a lot wished to make a left flip. No proper turns on this film. The dancing scene has nothing to do with the plot of the film in any respect. It’s simply in regards to the two brothers and we’re going to go dancing. And I used to be like, I don’t give a fuck, that’s what I wish to do and we’re going to go have enjoyable. So long as the scene works, we will go away the plot. We don’t must be so plot pushed.
And Christian and Braxton get right into a bar struggle.
I shot the scene, I shot Ben’s protection, after which I went to the opposite aspect and Ben improvised the road, “Oh, my brother goes to have a variety of enjoyable.” And I’m like, you motherfucker, now you give you that? So I got here again round as a result of I’ve to get the one line. That’s going within the film.
Did Ben Affleck must learn to line dance or does he already know? I talked myself into the prospect he would possibly know … OK, from the look in your face, that’s a no.
Not a sew.
I see.
We had a choreographer are available in.
Did you movie this? Will this be a Blu-ray further?
We did movie a few of it, sure.
That’s thrilling.
And Ben did all his dance rehearsals. He did. He was nice about it.
Effectively, I loved this scene.
These motion pictures are so puzzle-driven. It’s irritating and I have to do it. As a result of if it’s not a puzzle, you don’t want Christian to come back in and determine it out. Invoice and I’ve to create these dense plots, as a result of in any other case you don’t want Christian. But it surely’s additionally like, these fucking plots, man.
It sounds such as you’d a lot quite simply make a hangout film with Christian and Braxton. However you’re proper, why would Christian be there?
You have to have the byzantine plot. I can inform you this! For the third one, I used to be telling Ben this morning, “I’m going to place you two, and perhaps Anna Kendrick, in a pickup truck collectively and do a highway image and no plot in any respect.”
Anna Kendrick is coming again for the third film?
I used to be chatting with her a pair weeks in the past about it. She needs to do it, so I believe I’m going to convey her again for the third. We’d like Christian to seek out love lastly, you understand? And I believe I can mine so much as a result of Anna is so humorous — I believe we will have so much of enjoyable with the three of them.
This may be a bizarre assertion, however this was an amazing t-shirt film. Braxton has a cool Waylon Jennings t-shirt and Christian has a t-shirt with a rooster on it that claims “superior sauce.”
I stated to my costume designer on day one don’t convey me plain fucking stuff. Every time you’ve gotten something on a t-shirt it’s a must to get them cleared and it’s at all times an issue. I stated we have now to have bizarre, odd t-shirts. That’s what’s nice about working with Ben, he simply says, “Inform me what you need me to put on.” Ben is hilarious. He doesn’t even have a look at his hair. He’ll put the t-shirt on and he’s able to do the scene.
You’ve finished three motion pictures with him now. How does the connection work since he’s additionally a director? Was {that a} concern? If he’s like, “I directed a film that received Greatest Image, I do know what I’m doing,” not that I believe he’d do this…
After we did the primary film… I used to be searching for an actor for the movie. I by no means thought of Ben as a result of he was doing Batman on the time and I knew that he was directing. I simply didn’t assume he’d be out there. On a Saturday his agent texted me and stated Ben loves the script and needs to speak to me. We spoke on Monday, that’s how briskly it occurred. To reply your query, earlier than we hung up, I stated, “I’ve to say one factor.” And I stated, “Look, I believe you’re a fucking nice film director and I like your movies and I’m a extremely large fan. However I’ve to place this on the market so we don’t have any issues: There’s just one director on the film.”
Oh, so it’s one thing you considered.
Yeah, earlier than we agreed to do the film collectively, I requested him that query. And he stated to me, “Gavin, I began out as an actor. I’m going to be there as an actor and that’s it.” And that’s all I’ve ever gotten from him. Effectively, besides on this film as a result of he’s a producer as effectively. I received the manufacturing aspect of Ben … [chef’s kiss] the greatest. As soon as we received previous the enterprise aspect of it, it was, “I’ll see you on set.” I believe for actors, when you play a personality that’s a genius — Christian has this kind of one in a trillion mathematical mind –— I believe you possibly can simply attempt to showcase a bit of bit as an actor enjoying a genius. He by no means did that. Every part was so delicate and easy.
And was at all times sporting a pair of smart sneakers.
Oh, let me inform you, the sneakers? That was all Ben. He texted me sooner or later, “I discovered the sneakers.” I went to his workplace and I’m like, “Actually?” They’re hideous! However my mind went to that dancing scene. I’m going to have all people in cowboy boots and all I’ve to do is land on these sneakers.
The primary “The Accountant” movie has a bizarre arc. It’s a monetary success, however then additionally developed a cult following. That’s laborious to do.
Ben would textual content me generally, “I simply left the grocery retailer. I can’t inform you how many individuals are like, ‘When are you going to convey Christian Wolff again?’” He stated that’s the character he hears about greater than something he’s ever finished.
And a few administrators get a bit of extra valuable about plans for a sequel and who’s in them, however you’re overtly speaking in regards to the plot of the third film.
In my coronary heart, I don’t wish to do one other puzzle film as a result of they’re so laborious to do. Simply to create this kind of convol— I don’t wish to say convoluted. However this advanced, byzantine puzzle plot. I simply wish to do one thing solely totally different once more. There can be sure individuals, oh, this film is simply too totally different than the primary one. I imply, yeah, why would I do the identical factor over once more. For me, as a storyteller, that’s so wildly uninteresting. So, I do wish to do this, however we simply must maintain the story with out doing a puzzle plot, which we’ll have to determine.
“The Accountant 2” premiered at SXSW 2025. Amazon MGM will launch it in theaters on Friday, April 25.