Latest news with #Bernthal
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Prime Video adds 'one of the best sequels ever' two months after cinema release
Fans think it was one of the best films released this year Prime Video has just added what's being hailed as the 'action film of the year' and 'one of the best sequels ever'. The Accountant 2, a follow-up to the 2016 original, is now part of Amazon's streaming library as of today (June 5), despite only hitting cinemas earlier this year. The first film, considered a hidden gem by many, can be viewed with a Sky Cinema subscription or a NOW membership. Ben Affleck reprises his role as forensic accountant Christian Wolff in the sequel, teaming up with his estranged yet deadly brother, portrayed by Jon Bernthal, to hunt down elusive assassins. Rumours of a sequel began circulating in 2017, but as time passed, it seemed to fade from fans' minds. Speculation about a third instalment has also been rife, with filming for the sequel only starting in March last year. Despite lukewarm critical reception for the first film, it became a fan favourite, and followers have finally been rewarded with a sequel. Bill Dubuque, the original writer who later created the Netflix series Ozark, returned to write the script and also took on directing duties, reports Bristol Live. The sequel has outperformed its predecessor both commercially and critically, earning a 77% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans have been quick to laud it both as a standalone action film and for its achievements as a sequel. One devotee put it succinctly: "one of the best sequels ever". Another remarked: "This is probably the best action movie of the year. The test of a good sequel, for me, is that it works as movie in its own right, which this does. Whilst it will not win any Oscars, it was thoroughly enjoyable and made us laugh. The story line connects well to the original movie and the dynamic between the brothers is both funny and serious at the same time." Sharing their verdict on social media, another added: "This is how you do a sequel! The Accountant 2 blew me away. Unlike most action sequels that just go bigger and louder, this one slows down when it needs to and it works. The relationship between the brothers actually matters, and that emotional core gives the action real weight." They elaborated: "There's comedy that actually made me laugh, a bit of romance, and a moment or two that hit surprisingly hard. And yeah, when it's time to throw down, the fight scenes are slick, brutal, and insanely fun to watch. I came for the action, stayed for the characters, and left fully satisfied. Give me The Accountant 3 now!" While many spectators had previously declared the original film as Affleck's finest hour, some are now suggesting that the follow-up offers Daredevil actor Bernthal his crowning moment. One viewer praised Bernthal's performance, saying: "Bernthal is a national treasure. It was nice to see him do his thing in an action movie and not have nightmares from his grunting noises he does as the Punisher. He has never disappointed in any film, and made this movie 100% better just being in it."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach to Headline ‘Dog Day Afternoon' Broadway Adaptation
Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are set for a 'The Bear' reunion in the Big Apple. Both actors are set to make their respective Broadway debuts in a stage play adaptation of 'Dog Day Afternoon.' Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis will adapt Sidney Lumet's Oscar-winning 1975 film starring Al Pacino and John Cazale. Rupert Goold will direct the production, which is expected to open on Broadway in spring 2026. Bernthal will take on Pacino's former role of Sonny Amato. Moss-Bachrach is starring as Sal DeSilva, first played by Cazale. Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures confirmed the play to Deadline; the WB group recently brought 'Good Night, and Good Luck' with George Clooney to the stage, as well as 'The Outsiders,' 'Real Women Have Curves,' 'The Bridges of Madison County,' and 'Elf.' More from IndieWire 'Ballerina' Review: Ana de Armas Kills Her Way Through a Solid Continuation of the John Wick Franchise Parker Posey Says She Was 'Gaslit' by Hollywood Into Thinking She Couldn't Lead Studio Films The synopsis for the 'Dog Day Afternoon' play reads: 'Step back into the sweltering summer of 1972, New York City — a time when the Vietnam War looms large, Watergate headlines flood the news, and one man's desperate act captivates the nation. A Brooklyn bank hold up quickly goes wrong, and with each gut-wrenching twist that unfolds, chaos ensues that ignites the city as they follow the actions of a man on the edge. 'Dog Day Afternoon' is a raw, gritty reminder of what happens when passion and desperation collide.' The original 1975 film directed by Sidney Lumet from a script written by Frank Pierson was based on the Life magazine article 'The Boys in the Bank' by P. F. Kluge and Thomas Moore. The article chronicled the 1972 robbery and hostage situation led by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile at a Chase Manhattan branch in Brooklyn. In addition to roles in 'Daredevil: Born Again' and 'The Accountant 2,' Bernthal has performed in more than 30 theatrical productions, most recently at the Ojai Theatre Festival where he produced and starred in a production of Pulitzer Prize-Winner Martyna Majok's 'Ironbound' opposite Marin Ireland. Bernthal also recently wrapped production on Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey.' Moss-Bachrach will next be seen in the latest season of 'The Bear' and MCU film 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps.' He also previously co-starred alongside Bernthal in 'Sharp Stick' and 'The Punisher.' Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Bear''s Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach to Make Broadway Debuts in New Play 'Dog Day Afternoon'
Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will lead a Broadway stage adaptation of the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon from Stephen Adly Guirgis Both Emmy-winning actors, who also star on the hit comedy The Bear, will make their Broadway debuts in the new show The film version of Dog Day Afternoon was based on a real-life 1972 robbery and hostage situationA buzzy new play will mark the Broadway debuts of two stars of The Bear. Emmy winners Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will lead Dog Day Afternoon, a stage adaptation from Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Adly Guirgis of the 1975 crime movie. 'Step back into the sweltering summer of 1972, New York City — a time when the Vietnam War looms large, Watergate headlines flood the news, and one man's desperate act captivates the nation,' reads a synopsis of the new production. 'A Brooklyn bank hold up quickly goes wrong, and with each gut-wrenching twist that unfolds, chaos ensues that ignites the city as they follow the actions of a man on the edge,' it continues. 'Dog Day Afternoon is a raw, gritty reminder of what happens when passion and desperation collide.' The new production, to be directed by Rupert Goold, will see Bernthal, 48, play Sonny Amato (based on the character played by Al Pacino in the original film), while Moss-Bachrach, 48, plays Sal DeSilva (based on the character originally played by John Cazale). Both actors have earned Emmys for their work on the hit comedy series The Bear, Bernthal for his guest star appearance playing Mikey Berzatto and Moss-Bachrach twice consecutively the past two years for his supporting performance as Richie Jerimovich. The show will air the entirety of its fourth season on FX on Hulu June 25. Bernthal recently starred in Ben Affleck's The Accountant 2 and will next appear in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and Netflix miniseries His & Hers, as well as continuing to play Punisher in Marvel's Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. Moss-Bachrach next appears as The Thing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's The Fantastic Four: The First Steps (in theaters July 25) and subsequent Avengers installments. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Sidney Lumet-directed, Frank Pierson-written Dog Day Afternoon, which was based on a real-life 1972 robbery and hostage situation, was nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, winning for its original screenplay. The new adaptation hails from Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, which has also produced several screen-to-stage adaptations, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Beetlejuice and Elf, as well as current Broadway shows The Outsiders, Good Night, and Good Luck and Real Women Have Curves. Their upcoming such projects include The Lost Boys and Crazy Rich Asians. Read the original article on People
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'The Accountant 2': Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal 'genuinely love' each other
'The Accountant 2': Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal 'genuinely love' each other Show Caption Hide Caption Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal reunite as brothers in 'The Accountant 2' Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal discuss their real-life brotherly bond in "The Accountant 2." "The Accountant 2" is a love story. No, Anna Kendrick, the romantic interest of Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) in the 2016 original, does not return. Nor does Christian find success at a speed dating event, seen in the sequel's trailer, for which the neurodivergent mathematical genius has hacked the company's algorithm. The new installment is a revelrous, wave-your-cowboy-hat celebration of brotherly love. (And we don't mean that in the 'White Lotus' Season 3 sense.) The film, which arrives in theaters April 25, reunites Christian with his younger brother, hitman Braxton (Jon Bernthal). At the end of the first movie, the two estranged siblings (who shared very little screentime) made loose plans to see each other the following week. In 'The Accountant 2,' we learn once again they've been out of touch for years. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox 'They really do connect to things we all go through, like the difficulty sometimes with families,' says Affleck, seated next to Bernthal. 'These are people that we love most in the world. They're also the people that can sometimes aggravate us most in the world. So you've got that closeness, but sometimes the friction of that. And that can be funny, and that can be maddening.' Christian and Braxton team up to help Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) solve the mystery of Ray King's (J.K. Simmons) death, resulting in plenty of deadpan comedy and shoot-'em-up scenes. 'Violence was always the language which was the easiest way for them to tell each other that they loved each other,' Bernthal, 48, says. 'And that's really what those scenes were.' Ben Affleck stars in action-packed sequel 'The Accountant 2' Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) and Braxton (Jon Bernthal) reunite for "The Accountant 2." Amazon MGM Studios Affleck, 52, and Bernthal require far fewer rounds of ammo to express their affection. 'It sounds cheesy, but I genuinely love him,' Bernthal told USA TODAY on the carpet for the film's world premiere at South by Southwest on March 8, sporting a black cowboy hat that concealed his buzzed hair for Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey.' 'I love him as a guy, I love him as an artist, and I'm super-proud to call him a friend. I'd follow him anywhere.' Considering that Bernthal keeps his daughter's headband hanging around his rearview mirror and carries a picture of wife Erin Angle to every gig, his gushing over Affleck seems sincere. With Bernthal by his side, Affleck describes acting together as 'the great joy of the movie.' 'You always have the sense that there's some sort of lightning in a bottle that you could catch, and that's what it felt like every day,' Affleck says. 'It was like, 'Something special might happen here.' I felt very in sync with Jon. He's extremely intelligent. He's a writer. He's a filmmaker, really, and he understands all of what needs to happen on multiple levels.' 'Relationships are complex': How Ben Affleck relates to Christian in 'The Accountant 2: Bernthal is protective of 'blow your mind'-type stories Affleck shared with the cast, 'unbelievable stories" about Affleck's experiences in the industry. 'Those stories,' Affleck jokes, 'are going to go into the autobiography that I'm going to type out, on a typewriter, and then light on fire.' One of the tenderest moments between the brothers is a scene Bernthal predicted would find a home on the cutting-room floor. To flirt with a woman at a bar, Christian line dances beside her to 'Copperhead Road.' 'It had nothing to do with any doubt for this man, his musical abilities,' Bernthal professes as Affleck pretends to be wounded by his costar's words. 'I just really, really was like, 'Oh, boy, line dancing.' But I'm telling you, being there, it was electric. It made complete and utter perfect sense.' Ben Affleck on 'The Accountant 2' at SXSW premiere Ben Affleck opens up about relationships and authentic connections on the red carpet of "The Accountant 2" premiere at SXSW. In the scene, Braxton lovingly looks at Christian dancing and proudly proclaims to bar patrons, 'That's my big brother up there!' Later the siblings toss a pair of guys, who were mad that Christian was flirting with one's girl, out the window. 'The best part of that scene for me is Jon's reaction where you see how much he roots for and wants his brother to be happy,' Affleck says. 'And it's moments like that where you really see that people love each other. Obviously, I'm not a − despite what you may think − a professional dancer, and I'm not an experienced line dancer. 'But I figured that's sort of part of the charm, and the character's going to put himself out there. It's incumbent on me to do that, and it was a lot of fun.'
Chicago Tribune
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Accountant 2' review: Ben Affleck's back in a human trafficking sequel where guns beat spreadsheets
To get along like they mean it, the estranged brothers played by Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal in 'The Accountant 2' learn by doing. What they learn is that most reassuring of all action movie lessons: Killing makes you a better, more human human. The makers of the sequel to the 2016 film, both directed with slick assurance by Gavin O'Connor, might argue with that interpretation. The new one offers a bigger, more brutal string of kill-shots and corpses, either morally justified as part of the story or, at one point, treated as a throwaway gag illustrating what Bernthal's Braxton actually does for a living. Screenwriter Bill Dubuque also wrote the first movie and, in better form, worked on 'Ozark.' His many narrative tracks in 'The Accountant 2' send the band of brothers to save terrified child prisoners of a cartel-run compound in Juárez, Mexico, from a mass grave being dug not far away. That climax may be spatially difficult to follow — for a while you can't tell where the boys are in relation to all the anonymous cartel goons they're killing — but storywise it's icing on the cake for Chris, an underworld accountant and mathematical phenom on the autism spectrum, and brother Brax, a European-based wiseacre super-assassin. The cake: A fiendish, cartel-run human trafficking ring, with claws deep inside the United States. A prologue set in and outside of a Los Angeles nightclub brings J.K. Simmons back from the original 'Accountant' as the now semi-retired U.S. Treasury Department honcho and onetime adversary of Chris, currently on the hunt for one of the children who have been disappeared. The boy, now a teenager, had an El Salvadoran father, affiliated with the MS-13 criminal gang, who crossed the border into America. This particular detail, in light of the erroneously deported Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, comes under the heading of 'accidental topicality.' Given its premise, you wouldn't expect 'The Accountant 2' to go for quite so much buddy comedy, but life is full of surprises. Screenwriter Dubuque clearly enjoyed writing reams of banter for Affleck and Bernthal, though the results have a way of tossing a wrench in the film's pacing. A second super-assassin and surveillance genius, played by Daniella Pineda, slinks through the movie with a hidden agenda and a sharpshooter's eye. Her sights eventually are set on the U.S. Treasury deputy director (Cynthia Addai-Robinson, very good) who teams up with the bros, against her ethical principles, to bust the trafficking ring. Meantime, at the neurological institute, a friendly black-ops group of teen surveillance and hacking all-stars aid and abet our heroes' activities. 'Challenging' is the word director O'Connor used in a recent ScreenRant interview, describing the task of 'handling such heavy subject matter as human trafficking and then trying to make a fun, entertaining film.' He's hardly the first. Last month, Jason Statham took out similar human-trafficking trash in 'A Working Man.' Championed by conservatives, the solemn yet pulpy anti-trafficking biopic 'Sound of Freedom' in 2023 scored a quarter-billion at the box office. And there's 'Taken,' the franchise built on Liam Neeson, for which many real-life anti-trafficking activists have no love. If there's a third 'Accountant' outing for what has been laid out as a trilogy, O'Connor has indicated it'll be more about heart and brotherly love and odd-couple comedy, with a side order of killing. If so, I hope Addai-Robinson returns in a bigger role; here, she's stuck being the annoying advocate for rule of law and due process ('We have no right to detain anyone!') in a bro's world where, as John Wayne said in 'The Green Berets,' 'due process is a bullet.' 'The Accountant 2' — 2 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong violence, and language throughout) Running time: 2:05 How to watch: Premieres in theaters April 24 Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.
