It’s been a while sinceBen Affleckdelivered a bona fide hit as leading man, but the actor has always maintained a healthy balance between tent pole projects and modest studio films. Hebegan his career as something of an edgy outsider, headlining a couple of movies directed byKevin Smith, and appearing in a scene-stealing role inRichard Linklater’s seminal indieDazed and Confused. Released in 1993, it remains one of the most important films of that decade, but it didn’t exactly set the box office on fire during its initial theatrical run. In fact, Affleck’s latest film,The Accountant 2, has grossed over eight times as much asDazed and Confuseddid over three decades ago.
It made a little over $8 million worldwide, whileThe Accountant 2has grossed nearly $70 million globallyin around two weeks of release. The movie will likely leg it past the coveted $100 million mark, but it’s poised to fall short of the $150 million-plus final global haul of its predecessor,The Accountant. Unlike that film, which was positioned as a theatrical exclusive,The Accountant 2is an Amazon MGM product; a movie that is expected to find its true audience only after it debuts on streaming and transactional services. Also featuringJon Bernthalin a supporting role, the movie industry has changed dramatically in the years since Affleck broke out withDazed and Confused.
Produced ona reported budget of $80 million,The Accountant 2has beenwarmly received by both critics and audiences. It holds a “certified fresh” 77%Rotten Tomatoes score, and an even better “verified hot” 92% audience score on the aggregator website. The movie is directed, like the first one, byGavin O’Connor. Affleck’s last hit, incidentally, was the firstThe Accountant. Since then, he has appeared in a series of streaming-only releases, and a couple of underperformers. Ironically, his biggest hit is also among his most divisive movies:Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
‘The Accountant 2’ Is Targeting $100 Million Worldwide
WithThe Accountant 2,the actor hasprobably secured a reliable new franchise for himself, which he desperately needed after the failure of theDC Extended Universe. These movies have a devoted following, and the first installment has been doing exceptionally well on home video in parallel to the sequel’s box office run. This weekend,The Accountant 2will probably overtake Affleck’s political thrillerState of Play, after which it’ll set its sights on passing the $90 million lifetime haul of the sports dramaAir, which he also directed. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
The Accountant 2
When her former boss is killed by unknown assassins, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina is forced to contact Christian Wolff to solve the murder. With the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax, Chris applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle. As they get closer to the truth, the trio draw the attention of some of the most ruthless killers alive—all intent on putting a stop to their search.
