Abandon Editorial took a star-studded road trip with Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal in the lead-up to The Accountant 2‘s highly anticipated premiere at SXSW last month. Edited by Edward Khoma of Abandon Editorial and directed by Peter Karl of Goodform, the promo spot captures the duo’s hilarious and relatable journey to Austin, Texas — complete with pit stops for snacks, scenic backroads, and a jam session to Brenton Wood’s classic hit Oogum Boogum.
The entertaining short film builds momentum with every mile, culminating in Affleck and Bernthal’s arrival at the red carpet, freshened up and ready to debut The Accountant 2 in style.
Working with 25 minutes of largely improvised footage, Khoma crafted the edit with precision, initially cutting a four-minute version before refining it down to a tight 90-second spot that captures the best beats of Affleck and Bernthal’s natural chemistry and comedic timing. Take a look below:
“It was great working with actors as talented as Ben and Jon because every take was usable,” said Edward Khoma. “Goodform was highly collaborative and incredibly organized, which made my job easier. They trusted me to focus on shaping the best moments — it all came down to cutting the right beats and finding the perfect cadence to let the humor land effortlessly.”
“The editorial challenge was weaving together classic road trip setups with Ben and Jon’s natural—and hilarious—improv,” added Peter Karl, Director at Goodform. “We knew the right balance would make for a fun, dynamic spot, and Edward nailed it.”
The official synopsis for The Accountant 2 says, “Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to “find the accountant,” Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax (Jon Bernthal), to help. In partnership with U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.” Watch the trailer below:
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