Why Anna Kendrick Didn’t Return for ‘The Accountant 2’ – The Real Reason Revealed by Director Gavin O’Connor

Fans of The Accountant hoping to see Anna Kendrick reprise her role in the upcoming sequel will have to wait a little longer — but not because of any behind-the-scenes drama. In a series of interviews, including one with The Direct and The New York Times, director Gavin O’Connor has laid bare the real reason behind Kendrick’s absence from The Accountant 2 — and it all comes down to the story.

Kendrick, who played Dana Cummings in the 2016 original alongside Ben Affleck’s Christian Wolff, wrapped her arc when Christian gifted her a prized Pollock painting before disappearing from her life. As O’Connor explained, the sequel was never intended to revisit Dana’s storyline. Instead, The Accountant 2 focuses on a new narrative: repairing the fractured relationship between Christian and his estranged brother, played by Jon Bernthal. “The second movie was always for Bill [Dubuque] and I to start to unite the two brothers,” O’Connor said. “They had to start to fix all their… can I say shit? All their shit, their issues.”

In short, Kendrick’s character simply didn’t fit the sequel’s brother-centric plot. However, there’s still hope for fans who loved the chemistry between Kendrick and Affleck. O’Connor revealed that if The Accountant 3 gets the green light, bringing Kendrick back is a top priority. “Maybe Christian can finally get the love that he deserves,” he teased, adding that he’s been in touch with Kendrick, who is “a hundred percent in” if the opportunity arises.

While The Accountant 2 charts a different emotional journey, Kendrick’s Dana remains a beloved part of Christian’s past — and possibly, his future.