Jon Bernthal truly cemented himself as an action star with his role in the kind-of-MCU/kind-of-not-MCU series The Punisher, with his eponymous hero now officially a part of the MCU, thanks to Daredevil: Born Again. Following his turns in the original Daredevil and The Punisher, but before Daredevil: Born Again and the new MCU The Punisher special, Jon Bernthal had time to star in one of the best action movies of 2025 so far. That movie just so happened to be the long-awaited sequel to one of Ben Affleck’s most underrated movies, the 2016 crime thriller The Accountant. Bernthal cameo’d in the original, but had a much larger role in the 2025 sequel, and he brought some of that Punisher-style action with him. The Accountant 2 is currently streaming on Prime Video, and it’s once again a soaring success.
In the spirit of Ben Affleck’s Christian Wolff, the numbers have been calculated, and The Accountant 2 is currently the 10th most popular movie on Prime Video globally. Directed by Gavin O’Connor, the film reunited fans with Affleck’s autistic accountant/assassin, Christian, who finally reunited with his estranged brother, Brax (Bernthal), to wreak more math-based carnage. The official synopsis reads:
“Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to “find the accountant,” Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax (Jon Bernthal), to help. In partnership with U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.”
Despite its title, The Accountant 2 didn’t deliver the best cash flow analysis after its theatrical run. The film grossed just $103 million worldwide, against a budget of $80 million. While it technically wasn’t a failure, no accountant would be overly pleased with those numbers. Despite its low box office gross, audiences absolutely adored the movie, as it holds a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from user reviews. Audiences loved everything from the film’s “old-fashioned style of action,” to its “explosive shootouts,” and the “strong chemistry between Affleck and Bernthal.” Although critics were far harsher about the film, bestowing it with a 75% rating.
Will Jon Bernthal Return for ‘The Accountant 3’?
Despite The Accountant 2 just clearing the red, The Accountant 3 is on the way. The news was confirmed by director Gavin O’Connor, who confirmed that Affleck and Bernthal will (hopefully) return for a third installment. According to the director, the story was always planned as a trilogy, so hopefully the franchise can survive for one more tax year.
The Accountant was a very unlikely franchise. The 2015 original was a decent success, grossing $155 million against an estimated budget of $44 million. Although critics and audiences both seemed to prefer the sequel, as the original The Accountant holds a Rotten 53% critics rating, with a slightly stronger 77% audience rating.
- Release Date
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April 25, 2025
- Runtime
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132 Minutes
- Director
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Gavin O’Connor
- Writers
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Bill Dubuque
- Producers
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Ben Affleck, Kevin Halloran, Matt Damon, Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell Taylor, Scott LaStaiti, Michael Joe, Mark Williams, Alison Winter
- Prequel(s)
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The Accountant