Most of the original cast is returning, so why isn’t Anna Kendrick appearing in The Accountant 2? While The Accountant’s ending didn’t directly set up a sequel, it left the dangling thread of Christian (Ben Affleck) finally reuniting with his long-lost brother Brax (Jon Bernthal). The trailer for The Accountant 2 confirms the sequel will be something of a buddy comedy between Brax and Christian as they investigate the murder of J. K. Simmons’ Ray King.

Despite the 2016 original being a comfortable hit, the film’s popularity has only increased in the years since. It received mixed reviews when it arrived, but it’s grown in estimation over the years thanks to streaming. While Simmons’ return might be short-lived, most of The Accountant’s cast are returning for chapter two. Notably absent from the cast list is Anna Kendrick, who played Dana Cummings in the first movie. Dana’s investigations into a high-tech company’s shady practices made her a target, with Christian stepping in to keep her alive.

The Accountant Gave Anna Kendrick’s Character A Fitting Conclusion

There is no room for Dana in The Accountant 2’s story

A mistake some sequels make is feeling the need to bring back as many cast members as they can – regardless of their importance to the plot. Dana played a vital part in the first installment, and her friendship with Christian helped him reconnect with his own humanity. The threat against her has been resolved by the time the credits roll though. In her final scene, Dana also discovers Christian has given her a Jackson Pollock as a parting gift while he goes back to his high-risk career.

The Accountant wrapped up Dana’s story, where she got to return to her old life. The sequel brings back characters like Simmons’ King and Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth because they’re an organic part of the story, but it would have been harder to work Dana back into the series. Christian has likely severed ties with Dana to keep her safe, and unless the filmmakers found an exciting way to bring her back, her return could just feel contrived.

Anna Kendrick’s Character Doesn’t Easily Fit Into The Accountant 2’s Story

Dana isn’t a highly trained ᴀssᴀssin or Treasury agent

Director Gavin O’Connor made it clear from an early stage that The Accountant 2 would zero in on the relationship between Brax and Christian. The preview bears that out, with the siblings bickering about their past while trading gunfire with ᴀssᴀssins. The death of King kicks the plot into motion, with the retired Treasury Director writing the words “Find the accountant” on his arm before he’s murdered. This is what brings Christian, Brax and Marybeth into the same orbit – and it’s tricky to see how Dana would fit in with that setup.

Dana is a nerdy accountant who found herself in danger for doing her job. She has no personal connection with King, and since she’s neither a trained killer nor part of the Treasury, there’s little reason to draw her into the case. Again, the writers could have contrived a reason, like King having worked with Dana before his demise, but that would only raise further questions. It would be nice to see The Accountant 2 recreate the sweet dynamic between Christian and Dana, but it would distract from the story the sequel is telling.

The Accountant 2 Could Set Up Anna Kendrick’s Return In Another Sequel

The Accountant 3 is already planned

When Gavin O’Connor confirmed a second movie was in development back in 2021 (via Cinemablend), he also stated he envisioned a trilogy of films. The plan for The Accountant 2 was always to lean into the Christian and Brax story, and for the final entry, the director stated, “… the third movie’s going to be, I call it, ‘Rain Man on steroids.” The third movie is going to be the two brothers, this odd couple.” This implies The Accountant 3 could be some kind of road trip; that said, it will probably have a much larger body count than Rain Man.

Now, it’s not impossible Kendrick could make a surprise cameo appearance in The Accountant 2. Maybe Christian needs some help with his investigation and thinks Dana could help, but that probably won’t be the case. Still, even if Dana doesn’t fit into the sequel’s plot, she could return for the final entry. It would even feel like the series is coming full circle this way, and maybe Dana could reach out to Christian if she gets in trouble again.

Hopefully, The Accountant 3 would avoid the old trope of killing Dana to motivate the Wolff brothers to seek revenge. Of course, a third film will depend on how well the sequel does, so it shouldn’t be taken as a given that another entry will happen. If Dana is pulled back into Christian’s life, hopefully, for her sake, she’ll have taken up some combat training in the years since they last met.

Source: Cinemablend