Warning! Minor spoilers ahead for The Accountant 2

The Accountant 2

director Gavin O’Connor reveals that the Disney Easter egg featured in the movie wasn’t done with the studio’s permission. Serving as a sequel to 2016’s The Accountant, the Amazon MGM Studios action flick features Ben Affleck back as math savant Christian Wolff, this time teaming up with his brother, Brax (Jon Bernthal), to investigate the murder of the Treasury chief. The follow-up features plenty of action, but one of the more tame scenes features the surprise inclusion of a lightsaber as Christian calls Brax.

In a recent interview with THR, O’Connor reveals that the lightsaber briefly featured in The Accountant 2 was a last-minute addition. According to the director, he saw an opportunity to spice up the scene in question in terms of what it reveals about Christian, and a lightsaber did the trick. The only issue was that O’Connor didn’t clear the inclusion of the lightsaber with Disney until after they had already sH๏τ the scene. Disney, however, ultimately gave their blessing. Check out O’Connor’s comment on the scene below:

(Laughs.) It’s so funny you bring that up. In the script, Chris calls Brax while sitting on his bed, and going to the set that morning, I was like, “There’s better than that. How do we keep pushing character?” I’m always trying to keep pushing character. So when I got to set, my prop master, J.P. Jones, was the first person I grabbed. I said, “I need a lightsaber. Find me a lightsaber. I’ll push the scene until later in the day.”

And you know what? We never asked Disney. I just sH๏τ it without getting permission. Fortunately, very fortunately, they were very cool about it, but I ignorantly didn’t even ask for permission. We just sH๏τ it.

What This Means For The Accountant 2

The Response To The Ben Affleck Sequel Explained

Using copyrighted materials in any movie usually requires a clearance process where the production obtains permission from the rights’ holder, sometimes for a fee. Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, meaning all things Star Wars are now under Disney’s umbrella, including the lightsaber copyright and trademark. The Accountant 2 is not a Disney film, meaning the use of a lightsaber without permission could potentially have had legal repercussions. Disney, however, has shown flexibility with the lightsaber rights before, as the prop memorably appears in Free Guy (2021) as well.

O’Connor’s attention to detail and character in The Accountant 2 so far looks to be paying off. The response to the sequel has been very positive, with critics and audiences awarding the film scores of 78% and 93%, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes. In his The Accountant 2 review for ScreenRant, Graeme Guttman awards the film seven out of 10, praising the film for its increased focus on the bond between Christian and Brax:

The real reason The Accountant 2 was made is immediately apparent when Bernthal and Affleck reunite. Their chemistry is undeniable, with Affleck’s soft-spoken, matter-of-fact character crashing against Brax’s brash and violent nature.

Our Take On The Lightsaber In The Accountant 2

O’Connor’s Approach Elevated The Movie

The Accountant 2 scene in question would still have worked without the lightsaber, but the inclusion of the Star Wars prop adds a degree of comedy, in addition to revealing more about Christian as a character. The prop helps to elevate the scene beyond just the conveying of information, and that approach is undoubtedly part of why the response to the sequel has been more positive than that of a more standard action flick.

The Accountant 2‘s ending leaves the door open for more story, and O’Connor has been open about his desire to make a third film. Whether another installment actually happens will come down to box office performance, and it’s still too early to say how things will shake out in that regard. Clearly, though, if The Accountant 2 is any indication, O’Connor won’t be afraid to bend some rules if he does get the chance to continue Christian’s story.

Source: THR