Hollywood’s dream factory has a way of stitching certain actors to roles that become the magnum opus of their careers. And because Tinseltown loves a good comeback, revisiting the past—whether through sequels or remakes—is practically written in the script. Sure, not everyone buys a ticket to the nostalgia-fueled ride, with skeptics fearing that follow-ups risk unraveling the original’s magic. But like the rolling credits, the sequel machine marches on. Now as The Accountant 2 gears up to step out from the shadow of Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal’s tailored performances, Affleck himself has weighed in on why they are revisiting the project.

According to the actor, the original’s staying power played a good role in the decision-making.

In the grand saga of Hollywood comebacks, every sequel faces the same inevitable question: why return? And in a recent cover story for Vanity Fair, Ben Affleck found himself at that very crossroads, where the past knocks, leaving the present in wonder. Around nine years ago, when The Accountant was released, it earned a decent reception, grossing $155 million on a $44 budget. Still, according to Affleck, “It was a movie that stuck around” to become an audience favorite. 

Affleck recounts The Accountant as a project that had people buzzing about how much they liked the movie. “There seemed to be a lot of goodwill towards it,” the Gone Girl actor believes. As a result, not only Affleck but also Jon Bernthal were equally enthusiastic about the comeback, especially given the opportunity of working even closer this time. The audience, no doubt, will clutch their skepticism like a well-worn script, recalling only a handful of sequels that have ever dared to match their predecessors.

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Yet, Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal have the chance to rewrite the rules and steal the show with the unexpected, as their brotherhood now serves as the core of The Accountant 2.

During his recent conversation with Vanity Fair for The Accountant 2, Ben Affleck revealed just how much he and Jon Bernthal were game to get back to the project. In the 2016 original, glimpses of the past were stitched together through haunting flashbacks. It was not until the ultimate act their fates collided, leaving the audience to piece together the ties that bound them. However, this time, the past does not lurk in the shadows but takes center stage.

In the sequel, their bond is not only a revelation but the very heartbeat of the story. “I love Jon so much as an actor and as a guy,” Affleck said, before adding how he believes with all his heart that this “fondness” would easily translate the brotherhood in the film. Although the sequels will forever remain a high-stakes gamble in the ever-shifting tides of showbiz, considering it also thrives on the unexpected, all eyes are now set on The Accountant 2.

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What do you think of Ben Affleck's reasoning behind making The Accountant 2? Let us know in the comments below!